The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has achieved another key construction milestone with the successful breakthrough of the third mountain tunnel, MT-07, at Ambesari village in Dahanu Taluka of Maharashtra’s Palghar district.
The achievement marks the third mountain tunnel breakthrough in Maharashtra in the last five months, highlighting the rapid pace of construction on one of the most technically complex sections of India’s first high-speed rail corridor.
Third breakthrough in five months
The MT-07 tunnel is 417 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and has been designed to accommodate both up and down tracks of the bullet train corridor.
The tunnel was excavated using a controlled drilling and blasting technique from both ends. Project authorities said advanced engineering methods and stringent safety protocols were employed throughout the construction process to ensure precision and structural stability.
Advanced monitoring deployed
During excavation, sophisticated geotechnical instruments and monitoring systems were used to track tunnel behaviour and maintain safety standards.
Real-time monitoring arrangements included Surface Settlement Points (SSP), 3D targets, strain gauges and seismographs to continuously assess vibrations, structural performance and the impact on surrounding areas.
Worker safety measures such as ventilation systems, fire protection infrastructure, controlled site access and continuous geotechnical supervision were also implemented during tunnelling operations.
Progress accelerates across Maharashtra section
The latest breakthrough follows the successful completion of MT-05, a 1.5-km mountain tunnel near Saphale in Palghar district, on January 2, 2026. The project achieved another milestone just a month later when MT-06, a 454-metre-long tunnel excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), recorded its breakthrough on February 3, 2026.
With MT-07 now completed, four mountain tunnels on the project have achieved breakthroughs, including MT-08, which was completed in October 2023.
More tunnels nearing completion
Of the seven mountain tunnels under construction in Maharashtra, MT-03 has crossed 80% excavation progress, while MT-04 has reached nearly 60%. Work on MT-01 and MT-02 is also progressing steadily.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project comprises eight mountain tunnels in total, seven located in Maharashtra’s Palghar district and one in Gujarat’s Valsad district, where tunnelling work has already been completed.
Key industrial corridor taking shape
All three mountain tunnels located between the Vapi and Boisar bullet train stations have now been successfully excavated.
The stretch between Boisar in Maharashtra and Vapi in Gujarat forms a key industrial belt and is a crucial section of the high-speed rail corridor. Construction activities across this region are progressing rapidly as the project moves closer to completion.
Boosting India’s high-speed rail capabilities
The National High Speed Rail project continues to drive the adoption of advanced tunnelling, monitoring and construction technologies in India.
The successful completion of multiple tunnel breakthroughs reflects the growing engineering capabilities being developed through the country’s first bullet train project, which is expected to set new benchmarks for safe, modern and future-ready rail infrastructure.