Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train TBM Assembly Begins After Two-Year Wait

Mumbai: The assembly of Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project’s critical underground section has begun at Vikhroli in Maharashtra, marking a significant milestone after the machines were held up in China for nearly two years.

The lowering of the first major component a 170-tonne main shield segment into a 56-metre-deep shaft at Vikhroli has formally kicked off the assembly process. According to sources, the complete assembly of both TBMs is expected to take around two-and-a-half to three months, followed by comprehensive testing and commissioning before tunnelling begins.

Two TBMs are being deployed for the 16-km tunnel stretch between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Sawli, near Ghansoli part of a larger 21-km tunnel between BKC and Shilphata, which also includes India’s first undersea tunnel, running 7 km beneath Thane Creek. TBM-1 will bore from Vikhroli towards BKC, while TBM-2 will advance from Sawli towards Vikhroli. The initial TBM drive is scheduled for July 2026, with the main drive expected to begin from October 2026.

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The two machines are among the most advanced tunnelling systems deployed in India. Based on Mix Shield/Slurry technology and designed for complex geological conditions, each TBM measures 95.32 metres in length roughly equivalent to a 10-storey building laid horizontally. Together, they weigh over 6,200 tonnes.

The machines will bore through a 13.1-metre-diameter single-tube tunnel capable of accommodating two rail tracks, at depths ranging from 25 to 57 metres, reaching up to 114 metres at the deepest point beneath Parsik Hill. A dedicated casting yard spanning 11.17 hectares at Mahape in Thane is already producing the 77,000 precast lining segments required to reinforce the tunnel walls after excavation.

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