India's First Bullet Train: Railway Minister announced the Train to Undergo Testing by May or June 2027

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India's first indigenously manufactured bullet train is expected to begin testing on railway tracks by May or June 2027 at the 'NaMo for Viksit Bharat' event in Vadodara. He said the train's first body frame has already been completed and sent for a squeeze test, which is an important step in checking its strength and safety.

India's First Bullet Train to Undergo Trials

According to the minister, the train will undergo testing for around two to four months after it reaches the tracks. The Prime Minister will inaugurate it after successful trials, and it is planned to cover the distance between Vadodara and Mumbai in about 90 minutes once the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor becomes operational.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor is 508 km long and passes through Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Surat-Bilimora section is expected to become operational first, with services targeted for 2027. Construction of the Vapi-Surat section is expected to be completed by December 2026. The complete corridor will have 12 stations: Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.

The indigenous bullet train is part of the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which aims to increase domestic manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign technology, representing an important step in India's development of high-speed rail technology.

Other Developments

The minister also highlighted wider railway development, saying that 280 railway stations have been redeveloped and 36,000 km of new railway tracks have been developed. He said these improvements, along with projects such as the Chenab Bridge and the railway connection to Mizoram, show the changing face of Indian Railways.