India’s bullet train project is set to enter a new phase, with trial runs scheduled to commence in May or June 2027. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the country’s first indigenous high-speed train will soon be tested on the tracks. This development marks a significant step forward for the ambitious project, which has been highly anticipated by the public and stakeholders alike.
He also touched upon broader changes taking place across the railway network, saying systems for operations, ticket reservations and construction norms are all being overhauled. Vaishnaw pointed to several long-delayed railway projects that have been completed in recent years, including the Chenab Bridge and the line linking Mizoram to the national rail network. He said 280 railway stations have been redeveloped and 36,000 kilometres of new track laid across the country, alongside work on cargo trains fitted with Vande Bharat technology. He noted that despite setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the pace of railway infrastructure development has picked up in recent times. Work on the section following the corridor’s first stretch, completed in 2020, gathered momentum soon after, he said.
The minister described the project as part of the government’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” push and highlighted how dramatically it would cut travel time between two of Gujarat’s key cities and Mumbai. Work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is moving swiftly, with the Surat-Vapi stretch on course for completion by December this year, according to Vaishnaw. He said, “We are improving and modernising everything, from operating systems and reservation systems to outdated construction protocols. Vaishnaw said, “The modern form of Indian Railways that is emerging will benefit generations to come.”
After 2-4 months of testing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the bullet train.”
He said, “By May or June next year, India’s own bullet train will be on the tracks for testing.
