The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project marked a major milestone with the successful breakthrough of another tunnel in Palghar district of Maharashtra, the second such achievement in the past month.

On Tuesday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually witnessed the breakthrough of Tunnel MT-6 near Saphale village from New Delhi via video conferencing.

The MT-6 tunnel, which measures 454 metres in length and 14.4 metres in width, is designed to accommodate both up and down tracks of the high-speed rail corridor, officials said.

This marks the second tunnel breakthrough for the bullet train project in Palghar within a month, following the completion of the MT-5 tunnel near Saphale on January 2.

According to officials, the MT-6 tunnel was excavated simultaneously from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), a drill-and-controlled blasting technique considered suitable for challenging geological conditions. The excavation work was completed within a span of 12 months.

The 508-km Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor, which passes through Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, is India’s only bullet train project and is designed to operate trains at speeds of up to 320 kmph.

Officials said construction work on seven bullet train tunnels is currently underway in Palghar district, with excavation and associated works progressing at different stages.

Work on the high-speed corridor is also advancing across multiple locations in Maharashtra, including the construction of river bridges over the Vaitarna, Ulhas and Jagani rivers, station buildings, highway crossings, and a 21-km underground tunnel between the Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata.

As of January 27, approximately 334 km of viaducts, 17 river bridges, and 12 major crossings over national highways, railways and other infrastructure have been completed. Track laying and electrification works have also picked up pace in the Gujarat section of the project.