New Delhi, September 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s first indigenously developed bullet train is expected to begin trial runs by May or June next year, with commercial operations likely to start within two to four months of testing, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.
Addressing the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event in Vadodara, Vaishnaw said the first body frame of the high-speed train had recently been completed and sent for squeeze testing.
He said the indigenous bullet train was being developed in line with the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat and would significantly cut travel time between Vadodara and Mumbai.
“When you ride the bullet train from Vadodara, you will reach Mumbai in just an hour and a half,” the minister said.
Vaishnaw said work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor was progressing rapidly, with the Surat-Vapi section expected to be completed by December this year.
Highlighting the government’s broader railway modernisation programme, he said reforms were being undertaken across operating systems, reservation platforms and construction protocols.
The minister also cited the completion of several long-pending infrastructure projects, including the Chenab Bridge and the rail connectivity project linking Mizoram with the national railway network.
According to Vaishnaw, 280 railway stations have been redeveloped and 36,000 km of new railway tracks have been laid. He added that cargo trains incorporating Vande Bharat technology were also under development.
Vaishnaw said railway infrastructure development had accelerated despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that after the first section of the bullet train project was completed in 2020, construction on subsequent sections gained momentum.
“The modern face of Indian Railways that is emerging will benefit many future generations,” he said.
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