India’s Bullet Train Project Cost Set to Surge to Almost ₹2 Lakh Crore

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project’s cost has nearly doubled to ₹1.98 lakh crore, Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar stated, pending final Cabinet approval. Initially estimated at ₹1.08 lakh crore, with JICA funding ₹88,000 crore, the Indian government will cover the cost overrun. Delays due to land acquisition and the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed full completion to 2029, though the first stretch, Surat-Bilimora, is slated for operation on August 15, 2027. The 508 km corridor will have 12 stations, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Thane, and will open in phases with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad section in the final phase.