The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for India’s maiden bullet train project is set to arrive in Mumbai, marking a major step forward for the 21-km tunnel stretch of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. The long-awaited machine — designed to excavate tunnels — is required to complete the tunnel in Mumbai for the project. The 3,000-tonne machines, supplied by German company Herrenknecht, will arrive late on Monday night at the port.
Sources said the machine is being shipped via China. The LOA Fortune vessel carrying its parts departed from Guangzhou last month.
“The ship carrying two TBMs is likely to arrive at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal on March 23 around 10 pm. It left Guangzhou on March 7, reached Chennai, and departed on April 18. Two of its parts — the cutter wheel and tail shield — have already reached the site. After the ship arrives, its parts will be transported by trailers to two sites, Vikhroli and Savali, to begin further excavation. Of the 21-km tunnel, 4.88 km has already been completed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, which involves blasting, while the finishing work is ongoing. The remaining excavation will now be carried out by TBM,” said a source.
Of the 508-km bullet train project, tunnels account for 27.4 km. Of this, 21 km comprises underground tunnels, while 6.4 km consists of surface tunnels. A major breakthrough in the 4.88-km underground tunnel between Ghansoli and Shilphata was achieved in September 2025. This stretch, part of the 21-km tunnel in construction between Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata in Maharashtra, also includes a 7-km undersea section beneath the Thane Creek.
This will be the first time in India that a mixed-shield TBM of this scale, with a diameter of 13.65 metres, is deployed in an infrastructure project.
“Transporting its components to the site will require over 150 trailers, and assembling the machine is expected to take approximately 90 days. We are optimistic about commencing TBM operations by the first week of July. The use of a TBM ensures a much safer excavation process, especially since the tunnel passes through a densely populated area where conventional blasting methods would pose significant risks. The project includes the excavation of a 7-km undersea tunnel, which demands exceptional precision and advanced engineering capabilities,” the source added.
The bullet train project spans 352 km in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and 156 km in Maharashtra. As of February 2026, 430 km of piers, 341 km of girder casting, 174 km of track bed, and 153 km of Overhead Electrification (OHE) masts have been completed. OHE masts are vertical steel structures used in railway electrification to support catenary and contact wires.
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The first stretch of the project, from Surat to Bilimora in Gujarat, is slated for completion by August 15, 2027, while the entire 508-km corridor is expected to be completed by December 2029.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
