Financial bids opened for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train 21 km tunnel

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor's construction of a 21-km long tunnel, which includes India's first 7 km long undersea tunnel, has taken a significant step forward as the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has opened the financial bids in Maharashtra.

The financial bids of 2 (two) technically qualified bidders were opened today and M/s Afcons Infrastructure Limited has quoted the lowest bid. The technical bids of this tender were opened on February 9, 2023.

According to officials, three tunnel-boring machines will construct 15.4km of the structure, while the remaining stretch will be built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method.

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NSHRCL) has decided to plant over 5,300 trees in place of the 1,828 trees that will be felled for the project's 508 km length between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

According to the spokesperson of NHSRCL, a total of 1,687 trees will be affected in the 3.9252-hectare area of the plot located at Vikhroli. Apart from that, 141 trees will be transplanted. Plantation of these trees will be done through the forest department.

Within the 3.9-hectare plot, a total of 2 hectares will be allocated for the construction of both the traction substation and distribution substation. This particular area is home to 1,243 trees that will be affected by the construction.

Likewise, within the construction zone, a tunnel shaft and ventilation building will be erected on a 1.9-hectare plot of land. In this area, there are currently 585 trees that will be impacted by the construction.