National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) lowered the cutterhead measuring 13.6 m in diameter and weighing 350 tonnes for second Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) at Sawli (Ghansoli) under the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor Project on May 23, 2026. With this, the primary assembly of the TBM’s main shield has been completed.
Besides, the first TBM cutterhead was lowered at Vikhroli on May 17. The TBMs will be utilised for construction of a 16 km portion of the 21 km Mumbai tunnel.
Following this, NHSRCL will undertake the final assembly and trials of these TBMs, with the initial drive planned in early July 2026.
Additionally, the first TBM weighing 3,080 tonnes will commence tunnelling from Vikhroli and head towards Bandra Kurla complex (BKC) and Mithi river before being retrieved at Mumbai station, BKC. Further, tunnelling for the second TBM weighing 3,184 tonnes will start from Sawli (Ghansoli) towards Vikhroli in Maharashtra.
The project involves development of the 508.17 km long Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail (HSR) corridor in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat with an investment of Rs 1,080 billion. It is being implemented by a special purpose vehicle (SPV), named National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), incorporated by the Ministry of Railways (MoR) and the respective state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat with an equity stake of 50:25:25 respectively.