Vadodara: India’s first indigenously manufactured bullet train is expected to hit the tracks for testing by May or June next year, with its inauguration likely two to four months later, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.Addressing the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event in Vadodara, Vaishnaw said the first body frame of the high-speed train had been completed and sent for a squeeze test, marking a key milestone in the development of the country’s first domestically manufactured bullet train.“By May or June of next year, India’s own bullet train will be on the tracks for testing. After a testing period of two to four months, the bullet train will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister himself,” he said.Vaishnaw said the train would cover the distance between Vadodara and Mumbai in around 90 minutes, once the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor is operational.Construction of the 508-km MAHSR corridor is progressing across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.The Surat-Bilimora section is expected to be the first stretch to become operational, with the first service targeted for 2027. Civil construction on the Vapi-Surat section is expected to be completed by Dec 2026, Vaishnaw said.The corridor will have 12 stations — Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.The minister said the bullet train was being developed as part of the govt’s push for domestic manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.On the broader transformation of Indian Railways, Vaishnaw said 280 railway stations had been redeveloped and 36,000km of new tracks developed. He also spoke of modernisation of railway operating and reservation systems, changes in construction practices and new wagon designs for freight transportation, including wagons for carrying salt.He cited the completion of long-pending projects, including the Chenab Bridge and railway link to Mizoram, as examples of the pace of infrastructure development.“The modern face of Indian Railways that is emerging will benefit many future generations,” Vaishnaw said.
