The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will be handing over the land to construct the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) station of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) corridor (popularly called bullet train), said Sushma Gaur, spokesperson of National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). MMRDA is the special planning authority of BKC. To facilitate the construction of the BKC underground station, the spokesperson stated that a petrol pump outlet at the proposed site first needs to be shifted.
Meanwhile the implementing agency has already invited bids for the design and construction of the underground station (MAHSR Package C-1). The last date for submission is December 7, 2021. However, it clarified that the work will begin only after MMRDA hands over the land and the BPCL-owned petrol pump outlet is shifted.
According to the NHSRCL, all stations will be elevated, except for the BKC station (Mumbai), which will be underground. The high speed rail will be operating at a speed of 320 km/hr at an elevated (10-15m) track above the ground on a viaduct all along, except for the 26km that will be underground.
The proposed corridor is the first in the country to be implemented with technical and financial assistance from the Government of Japan. It will have a total of 12 stations passing from the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The total length of the corridor is 508.17km. 155.76 km will pass through Maharashtra (7.04 km in Mumbai suburban, 39.66km in Thane district and 109.06 km in Palghar district). 4.3km will pass through the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and 348.04km will pass through Gujarat. Once operational, this high speed rail will be equipped to handle 17,900 passengers one way daily.
The Free Press Journal had reported that the proposed international Financial Centre (IFC) and the BKC station will have a common building.
