Overview

• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reaffirmed a phased opening: Surat–Bilimora in 2027, Thane–Ahmedabad in 2028, and the full 508 km Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor by 2029.
• Once operational, trains are planned to run up to 320 km/h on the main line with end‑to‑end Mumbai–Ahmedabad travel time quoted at about two hours seven minutes, with Surat–Mumbai around one hour.
• At Surat station, officials reported heavy civil work completion, first high‑speed turnout installation, RC track bed and temporary track readiness, plus ongoing finishing and utility works.
• NHSRCL cited broad corridor progress, including 323 km of viaduct and 399 km of piers completed, 17 river bridges in place, 210 track‑km of track bed built, more than 2,100 OHE masts erected, and tunnel excavation advancing.
• In a parallel upgrade to the conventional network, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express linking Brahmapur and Udhna, with regular service to begin October 5.