MAHSR Completes 454-M Palghar Tunnel 6; Gujarat Ops 2027 Target

Construction on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project has reached another engineering checkpoint with the completion of the second mountain tunnel in Maharashtra’s Palghar district. Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, confirmed the breakthrough of Mountain Tunnel 6 (MT-6) on 5 February 2026. The milestone reinforces the project’s revised operational timelines and demonstrates progress on the challenging 156 km Maharashtra section of the corridor.

The completed MT-6 spans 454 metres in length and 14.4 metres in width, a dimension sufficient to accommodate both up and down high-speed tracks. The breakthrough occurred just over a month after the completion of the first mountain tunnel, MT-5, on 2 January 2026, also in Palghar. The excavation and construction of MT-6 were finished in 12 months, with crews working from both ends of the tunnel until they met at the central point.

Excavation was performed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), a drill-and-controlled blast technique. This method was specifically chosen for its flexibility in managing the complex and varied geological conditions encountered in the region. The NATM process involves real-time adaptation using structural supports like shotcreting, rock bolts, and lattice girders, which avoids the need for heavier, more rigid machinery. Safety protocols inside the tunnel included continuous geotechnical monitoring, ventilation systems, and controlled site access.

Minister Vaishnaw stated that the project’s construction pace has increased confidence in its execution and highlighted that a significant portion of the advanced machinery is manufactured in India. The current schedule projects the start of commercial operations for the Gujarat section of the line in 2027. Services are expected to reach Thane by 2028, with full connectivity to the terminal at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex by 2029.

Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara, the Lok Sabha MP for Palghar, connected the tunnel completion to wider regional infrastructure development. He noted that the combined effect of the MAHSR corridor, the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), and the development of the nearby Vadhvan Port is accelerating economic activity in Maharashtra.

Across the Maharashtra section, other major civil works are advancing. Construction of the project’s longest river bridge, located over the Vaitarna river, has reached the pier level. Foundation work is also in progress for significant bridges over the Ulhas and Jagani rivers. In addition to river crossings, the project requires the construction of long-span steel bridges for major national and state highway crossings. The 21 km tunnel connecting Bandra Kurla Complex and Shilphata is another major component of the Maharashtra package under active construction.

The 508 km MAHSR corridor will connect the major economic centers of Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati. As of 27 January 2026, overall project works included the completion of 12 major crossings over highways and existing railway lines. Track laying and electrification are proceeding at an advanced pace in the Gujarat section, preparing the initial segment for its targeted operational date.