Vinod Bhat
Vadodara, September 8: India’s first indigenously manufactured bullet train is expected to hit the tracks for testing by May or June next year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday, setting the stage for the country’s entry into high-speed rail operations.
Speaking at the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event in Vadodara, Vaishnaw said the first body frame of the train had recently been completed and sent for a squeeze test.
“By May or June of next year, India’s own bullet train will be on the tracks for testing,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the testing phase would continue for two to four months before the train is inaugurated.
The minister said the bullet train would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the completion of testing.
The project is part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor and is being developed with a focus on increasing domestic manufacturing capabilities under the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
Vaishnaw said construction on the Surat-Vapi section of the corridor is expected to be completed by December this year. The Surat-Bilimora section is also targeted for commissioning in 2027.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor is designed for high-speed trains, with the full journey expected to take around two hours when operating with limited stops. The project includes major engineering works, including bridges, elevated viaducts and an undersea rail tunnel.
The minister also highlighted broader railway modernisation, saying the government was working on upgrading railway infrastructure, operating systems, reservation systems and freight services.
He said 280 railway stations had been redeveloped and 36,000 km of new railway tracks had been developed. He also cited major projects including the Chenab Bridge and the railway connection to Mizoram.
Vaishnaw said the changes underway in Indian Railways were aimed at creating infrastructure that would serve future generations.
The bullet train project has faced delays since its foundation stone was laid in 2017, with land acquisition and other construction-related challenges affecting its original timeline. The government is now targeting phased commissioning of the high-speed rail corridor from 2027.
