Overview

• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspected works in Surat and said the first 50 km Surat–Bilimora stretch is slated to open in 2027.
• He set targets of 2028 for Thane–Ahmedabad and 2029 for full Mumbai–Ahmedabad operations across the 508 km corridor.
• The first turnout was installed at the under‑construction Surat station during the visit, marking a key trackwork milestone.
• New track systems include roller bearings, vibration‑mitigation mechanisms and composite sleepers to maintain stability at high speeds.
• Officials cited a 320 km/h design speed on the main line, 80 km/h on loop lines, and an end‑to‑end journey time of about two hours seven minutes.