Surat, Oct 13: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday reviewed the Surat-Bilimora bullet train project visiting the site.

Expressing pleasure over the speedier workout of the project, on the Surat to Bilimora stretch of the bullet train project, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "The high-speed bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is progressing very well. We are right now here at Bilimora Station, which is the starting station for the first section. First section will be Surat to Bilimora, 50 kms, and it will be opened in 2027.

The entire civil construction work is complete. And now the track-laying work is going on. The station is designed in a very unique way because when the train passes at 320 kmph, a huge pressure builds up around the train. This is Japanese design, there is an open space kept so that the pressure doesn't get built up around the station. Many special precautions have been taken. The sheet has extra thickness compared to all other stations. Sound barriers have been installed to prevent disturbance to people residing in nearby areas, the minister added.

“When this project gets fully commissioned in 2027, we'll have the first section between Surat and Bilimora. By 2028, we will have completed the entire Gujarat section. The Maharashtra section is expected to be completed by 2029... Once this project is completed, the Mumbai to Ahmedabad journey, which is today about 7-8 hours by car, will be just two hours and seven minutes”, the Railway Minister added.