Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted an inspection of the slab track manufacturing facility for India’s first bullet train project in Kim village, Surat, Gujarat, on Saturday. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, spanning 508 kilometres, is expected to revolutionise rail travel in India.
During the visit, the minister emphasised the critical role of the slab track system in the bullet train project. “This facility is the largest in the world for slab manufacturing using advanced Japanese Shinkansen technology. It reflects India’s growing capabilities in high-precision, high-quality infrastructure. Previously, such components were imported from Japan; now, we are producing them domestically,” Vaishnaw said. The Surat facility manufactures ballastless track slabs with dimensions of 2,200 mm by 4,900 mm and a thickness of 190 mm, each weighing around 3.9 tonnes. These pre-cast slabs ensure efficiency in logistics and timely delivery for the corridor’s construction.
The bullet train, which will operate at speeds of up to 320 km/h, will reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to two hours, significantly down from the current six-hour journey by conventional rail. Connecting major business hubs such as Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad, the project promises to boost trade, travel, and local economies. The ₹1,08,000 crore MAHSR project represents a transformative step in Indian Railways’ journey toward world-class infrastructure. The corridor passes through Gujarat and Maharashtra, two of the fastest-growing states, enhancing connectivity and economic growth. The slab manufacturing facility also ensures robust quality control and testing standards, paving the way for future high-speed rail projects in India.
