First concrete slab cast at Mumbai’s underground bullet train station in BKC

Mumbai's bullet train project hits a milestone with the completion of the first concrete slab at the underground BKC station, set 32m deep

Mumbai: In a significant milestone for India’s first bullet train project, the casting of the initial concrete base slab at the Mumbai station in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) has been completed on Wednesday. This station, the only underground stop on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, is a marvel of engineering, designed to be 32 metres below ground—equivalent to a 10-storey building—and constructed using the innovative bottom-up method.

The foundation stone for the Mumbai to Ahmedabad bullet train project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinto Abe in 2017. Representative Image. (AP)

Excavation began at ground level, with the concrete work progressing from the foundation upwards. “This is the first of 69 slabs to be cast, marking the deepest level of construction for the station,” said an official from the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).

The station will include three floors—platform, concourse, and service areas—with the platform itself situated 24 metres below ground. Six platforms, each approximately 415 metres long, will accommodate the 16-coach bullet trains. The station will also provide seamless connectivity to Mumbai Metro 2B and the road network, with two designated entry and exit points: one near the MTNL building for road access and another connecting to the metro station.

Bandra Kurla Complex, already a bustling central business district developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is poised to gain further prominence with the bullet train station. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor spans 508 kilometres and will feature 12 stations, four of which—Thane, Virar, Surat, and Sabarmati—are earmarked for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). These developments are expected to boost economic activity, enhance urban mobility, and make the bullet train a vital link for commuters and businesses alike.