Modi to Review Bullet Train Progress in Gujarat

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on Saturday to review the progress of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. He will also visit Dediapada in Narmada district to participate in a programme marking the 150th birth anniversary of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda. During the visit, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various infrastructure and development projects worth over Rs 9,700 crore, with a strong focus on tribal welfare, infrastructure, health, education and heritage.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Modi will visit the under-construction bullet train station in Surat to review the progress of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR), one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure projects symbolising the country’s leap into high-speed connectivity.

The MAHSR runs for approximately 508 km, including 352 km in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and 156 km in Maharashtra. The corridor will connect major cities including Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Bilimora, Vapi, Boisar, Virar, Thane and Mumbai, marking a transformative step in India’s transport infrastructure.

“Built with advanced engineering techniques on par with international standards, the project features 465 km, about 85 per cent of the route, on viaducts, ensuring minimal land disturbance and enhanced safety. So far, 326 km of viaduct work has been completed, and 17 of the 25 river bridges have been constructed,” the PMO said.

Once operational, the bullet train will reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to around two hours, revolutionising inter-city travel by making it faster, easier and more comfortable. The project is expected to boost business, tourism and economic activity along the corridor, catalysing regional development.

The Surat-Bilimora section, spanning about 47 km, is in an advanced stage of completion, with civil works and track-bed laying already finished. “The design of the Surat station draws inspiration from the city’s world-renowned diamond industry, reflecting both elegance and functionality. The station includes spacious waiting lounges, restrooms, retail outlets, and offers seamless multi-modal connectivity with the Surat Metro, city buses and Indian Railways,” the PMO said.

Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister will perform puja and darshan at the Devmogra Temple in Narmada district and then travel to Dediapada for the Birsa Munda birth anniversary programme.

During the event, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects aimed at uplifting tribal communities and improving infrastructure in rural and remote areas.

The Prime Minister will participate in the Grih Pravesh ceremony for one lakh houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JAGUA).

He will inaugurate 42 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for tribal students worth around Rs 1,900 crore; 228 multi-purpose centres serving as hubs for community-led activities; a Centre of Competence at Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh; and the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) building in Imphal, Manipur, for preserving tribal culture and heritage. The Prime Minister will also flag off 250 buses for 14 tribal districts of Gujarat to improve mobility in these regions.

Further, he will lay the foundation stone for 748 km of new roads to strengthen connectivity in tribal areas and 14 Tribal Multi-Marketing Centres (TMMCs) under DA-JAGUA to serve as community hubs. He will also lay the foundation stone for 50 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools worth over Rs 2,320 crore, reinforcing the government’s commitment to ensuring quality education for tribal children.