Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 1 : Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted an inspection of the National High-Speed Rail project in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
The Union Minister also visited the site of the steel bridge installation at NH 48, which is a key component of the project. Vaishnaw highlighted that the bridge weighed over 1100 tonnes.
Speaking about the steel bridge installation, Vaishnaw noted that many of its specialised components were designed and made in India. He also mentioned that the team working on this bridge had previously worked on the Anji and Chenab bridges.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "In bullet train projects, many places have some kind of unique construction. This bridge is over 1100 tons. Many of its specialised components are Made in India, and many of the components are designed in India. The team that is working here is the expert of bridge building - this is the team which has worked in Anji and Chenab bridges."
Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw had inspected the Ahmedabad Railway Station Redevelopment Project and announced that 360 km of the Bullet Train project has been completed, with the Maharashtra section making significant progress.
He mentioned that the two-and-a-half-year delay caused by permission issues with former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is being addressed.
"The work of almost 360 km of the Bullet Train has been completed, and the loss of two and a half years that we had due to the permission denied by (Uddhav) Thackeray, we are trying to make up that as well," said Vaishnaw.
He further added that the Maharashtra section of the Bullet Train is progressing well, with "almost 2 km of the undersea tunnel ready".
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, on Saturday, inspected the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project for the "first time" and praised the initiative as a key step toward India's infrastructural development.
The Bullet Train project, developed in partnership with Japan, is a major step towards the country's infrastructure development. It is expected to boost regional connectivity, economic development, and employment in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The MAHSR project, connecting business hubs such as Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad, passes through high-growth regions in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The total sanctioned cost of the project is Rs 1,08,000 crore.