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NHSRCL Begins Excavation of India's First Undersea Rail Tunnel for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train

Target:MPSCUPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
18 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:13.6 m cutterhead diameter3,200 tonnes weight96 m length7 km undersea tunnel21 km underground tunnelMixshield TBM
Bodies:NHSRCLMinistry of Railways
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The second TBM (Mixshield type) began excavation from Sawli (Ghansoli) towards Vikhroli for the 21 km underground tunnel between Sawli and BKC.

2.Of the 10 km tunnel section, 7 km will pass beneath Thane Creek, creating the country's first undersea railway tunnel.

3.The TBM has a 13.6 m diameter cutterhead, weighs 3,200 tonnes, and is 96 m long – one of the largest ever deployed in India for railway tunnel construction.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The second Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) has started excavating a 7 km undersea tunnel under Thane Creek for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, making it India's first undersea rail tunnel. This marks a major infrastructure milestone for the MAHSR corridor and is a high-value exam topic for UPSC, MPSC, and SSC exams covering railways, infrastructure, and key technology.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

TBM Cutterhead Diameter13.6 m
TBM Weight3,200 tonnes
TBM Length96 m
Undersea Tunnel Length7 km (under Thane Creek)
Total Underground Tunnel21 km (Sawli to BKC)
TBM TypeMixshield, semi-automatic, slurry-based
Project Executing AgencyNational High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›TBM Cutterhead Diameter: 13.6 m
  • ›TBM Weight: 3,200 tonnes
  • ›Target this Data: 13.6 m cutterhead diameter, 3,200 tonnes weight, 96 m length of TBM
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) – under Ministry of Railways
  • ›Target this Tunnel Type: Mixshield slurry-based TBM used for India's first undersea rail tunnel (7 km under Thane Creek)

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which ministry is primarily responsible for the oversight of the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL)?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train tunnel:

1. The second TBM began excavation from Vikhroli towards Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

2. The tunnel includes a 7 km undersea section under Thane Creek, making it India's first undersea railway tunnel.

3. The TBM used is a Mixshield type, slurry-based machine with a 13.6 m diameter cutterhead.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, what is the diameter of the cutterhead of the second Tunnel Boring Machine deployed for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

Why is the Mixshield TBM method particularly suitable for the undersea tunnel section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train?

All 20 MCQs ▸
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