The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is managing the project, invited bids on Friday for the design and construction of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) station. This comes days after the Maharashtra government announced that it had granted all permissions necessary for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which is regarded as a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the whole Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor, this will be the sole subterranean station.
The project had faced steadfast resistance from the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) administration led by Uddhav Thackeray, who had called it “of little service to the people of Maharashtra.” The news of permission had followed closely on the heels of his comments. He has stated that a bullet train between Mumbai and Nagpur was required.
The project spans a 508-km stretch, of which 156 kilometres are in Maharashtra, 4 km are in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and 348 km are in Gujarat.
Due to a lack of crucial approvals from the Maharashtra government, the nation’s first bullet train project is unable to proceed. The clearances involved buying property, particularly in BKC, and moving a gas station there to create room for a high-speed rail station.
Sources claim that although documentation for 74% of the property needed in Maharashtra had previously been finished, only 39% of the land had been physically transferred to the NHSRCL. Since the MVA administration took office in 2019, the outstanding issues have remained unresolved.
The NHSRCL had to cancel the tenders it had floated for the station at BKC due to the lack of land, which caused a delay and perhaps increased costs.
“We have released the tender for the station’s six platforms’ construction and design. Each platform is around 415 metres long (sufficient to accommodate a 16-coach bullet train). The station will be connected to the metro and the road, an official stated, noting that there are two entry/exit points planned at the station: one to make it easier to reach the neighbouring Metro station on line 2B, and the other toward the MTNL building.
The station’s layout allows for plenty of room for amenities and passenger mobility on the concourse and platform levels. Additionally, integration with several other forms of transportation, including the Metro, buses, cars, and taxis, has also been planned, the source stated.
According to the official, among the facilities planned for passengers are waiting places, a business class lounge, a nursery, rest rooms, smoking rooms, information kiosks, incidental shopping, and CCTV surveillance.
