3 minutes of readingFebruary 3, 2026 01:40 pm IST
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project on Tuesday achieved its second breakthrough in a mountain tunnel in Palghar district in a month, marking the third breakthrough in a tunnel for the Bullet Train corridor so far.
The breakthrough of Mountain Tunnel-6 (MT-6) took place around 11.30 am, with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Hemant Savara, Member of Parliament, Palghar, virtually joining the event. The tunnel is 454 meters long and 14.4 meters wide and is designed to go up and down high-speed train tracks.
This follows the breakthrough of Mountain Tunnel-5 near Saphale on January 2, 2026. The first tunnel breakthrough for the project was achieved in September 2025 at Ghansoli in Navi. Bombay.
Addressing the event, Vaishnaw said the recent pace of work reflected steady progress in the Maharashtra section of the corridor. “Achieving two mountain tunnels in one month shows the strong momentum of construction. Multiple challenging works, including tunnels, bridges and stations, are advancing simultaneously,” he said.
The minister also highlighted progress at the Mumbai terminal, stating that the Bullet Train station at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) is being designed with double-decker platforms to optimize space in one of the city’s most densely built-up business districts.
MT-6 was excavated simultaneously from both ends using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), a controlled drilling and blasting technique used in complex geological conditions. Officials said excavation of the tunnel was completed in 12 months. NATM allows real-time modification of tunnel supports using shotcrete, rock bolts and truss girders, and does not require heavy tunnel boring machinery, making it suitable for the varied rock strata of the Palghar district.
Project authorities said the safety of workers during excavation was ensured through continuous geotechnical monitoring, real-time instrumentation, fire safety measures, adequate ventilation and regulated access inside the tunnel.
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Construction work in Maharashtra is progressing on multiple fronts. The project’s longest river bridge over the Vaitarna river has reached the pier construction stage, while foundation work is underway on other major rivers such as Ulhas and Jagani. Construction is also underway at all four planned stations in the state, along with major national and state highway junctions using long-span steel bridges.
Excavation continues on the 21 km underground tunnel between the Bandra Kurla complex and Shilphata, one of the most technically challenging sections of the corridor.
Seven mountain tunnels are currently being constructed in Palghar district. As of January 27, 2026, MT-5 reached 57% completion, MT-6 47%, while other tunnels range from preparatory stages to more than 40% completion.
The 508-km MAHSR corridor spans 352 km in Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and 156 km in Maharashtra. Officials said about 334 kilometers of viaducts, 17 river bridges and 12 major crossings have been completed, and track laying and electrification are gaining pace in the Gujarat section.