You must have experienced traveling in a metro train under the river in India. Now, preparations are underway to run a bullet train under the Arabian Sea. Construction work is progressing rapidly. During the journey in this train running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, you will be able to enjoy traveling under the sea at a speed of 320 kilometers per hour.
A miracle is happening in India
The distance of 508 kilometers between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will be covered in just 2 hours at a speed of 320 kilometers per hour. The route of this bullet train in India will pass through land, under sea and elevated sections. Of this 508 km route, 23.3 km will pass under the sea. This means that the bullet train will run at high speed in the depths of the sea. The route of bullet train is being prepared under water.
‘Giant’ machines are cutting up the ocean
India’s first underwater tunnel is part of a 7 kilometer section of the Bullet Train Corridor. The tunnel in this corridor is 21 kilometers long, out of which 7 kilometers is under the Arabian Sea. This tunnel will have a single tube for two tracks, one above and one below. It is not easy to build it, because building under the sea is challenging. Cutter machines have been imported from China and Japan for construction. Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are being used. Excavation is being done with the help of tunnel boring machines or TBMs.
How much is it going to cost?
The cost of the entire project will be Rs 1.08 lakh crore. Out of the total distance of 502 km, 352 km is in Gujarat.
What will be the speed?
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav himself said that with the design of the tunnel and the technology being used, two trains can pass at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour. Along with environmental protection, air and light have also been taken care of. Construction work on the 340 km long section of the project is going on at a good pace. In this project, trains will be able to run at much higher speeds than the trains running in the underwater tunnel of Kolkata Metro.
When will it be completed? The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train route is 508 kilometers long. There are a total of 12 proposed stations on this route in Maharashtra (Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar) and Gujarat (Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati). The main feature of this project, which is estimated to cost around ₹1.08 lakh crore, is the 21 km long underwater tunnel. It is expected to be completed by 2028.