Delay of over four years pushes up bullet train project cost by 83%

NEW DELHI: A delay of over four years has pushed up the cost of country's first bullet train project by around 83% to Rs 1.98 lakh crore. The first leg of the project, between Surat and Bilimora, is scheduled to be inaugurated in Aug 2027, while the entire 508-km corridor is likely to be completed by Dec 2029.

On cost escalation for Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed rail corridor project being implemented by NHRSCL, at a briefing on govt's Pragati initiative, Railway Board CEO and chairman Satish Kumar said, "While final sanction for the revised cost is yet to be taken... It will be finalised within a month or two."




Initially, the project was sanctioned at a cost of around Rs 1.1 lakh crore. The project has faced time and cost overruns due to different reasons, including delay in land acquisition, statutory clearances and finalisation of the rolling stock (trains).

In a statement last week, railways said overall physical progress in the project stood at 55.6% until Nov 30 and financial progress at 69.6%. Until Nov end, Rs 85,801 crore had been spent on the project. TOI has learnt that PM Narendra Modi, while reviewing work of railway ministry last month, directed it to expedite completion of the project.

In an official release, the ministry said that it is among the longest in Palghar district, being located between the Virar and Boisar bullet train stations.