From ‘diamond’ in Surat to ‘mango’ in Bilimora, bullet train work picks speed

India's first bullet train station in Surat is nearing completion, with trial runs set for next year and full operations expected by 2029.

The quiet of a sunny May afternoon at Antroli on the outskirts of Surat is broken by the metallic whirr of drilling. Standing deep amid lush green fields, is a rhombus-shaped structure—India’s first bullet train station on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route that will be readied before year-end. The first 50 km trial run of the high-speed rail (HSR) project between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat will commence early next year while the entire HSR route is expected to get operational by 2029.

India’s first bullet train station on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route will be readied before year-end. (Representational image)