Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday initiated the breakthrough of a five-kilometre-long tunnel in Thane near Mumbai, marking a significant achievement in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.
Standing at one of the openings of the tunnel, Vaishnaw pushed the button and triggered a controlled dynamite blast to break through its final layer, completing five km of excavation.
Briefing mediapersons present at the site to cover the event, Vaishnaw called it a "landmark achievement" and reiterated that the 50-km-long first section between Surat and Billimora will be completed by December 2027.
Vaishnaw appreciated the progress of the project, saying this tunnel is a part of the total 21-km-long tunnel, out of which seven km passes through the sea. This 21-km tunnel is being constructed by the Afcons Infrastructure Limited.
"The Afcons Infrastructure Limited navigated through significant challenges, including tough rocky strata of Deccan Trap, limited overburden, the presence of utilities, among others. Afcons, in collaboration with NHSRCL, successfully overcame these difficulties while strictly adhering to safety standards," the company's spokesperson said.
The 508-km-long project will run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Officials said that the excavation was done through the 'drill and blast' method, and henceforth, a tunnel-boring machine will be used.
This 5 km tunnel runs between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra.
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