Japan to gift two rakes for bullet train tests ahead of August ’26 start

MUMBAI: In a gesture of support, Japan will gift India two Shinkansen train sets, E5 and E3, equipped for inspection on the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor. The two trains are expected to arrive by early 2026 and will be instrumental in familiarising Indian engineers with Shinkansen technology ahead of the corridor's commissioning.
According to a report by Japan Times, both countries are planning to introduce the next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains on the MAHSR corridor in the early 2030s.

Phase 1 of the corridor is expected to open on a 48 km stretch between Surat and Bilimora in Aug 2026. The other sections will be opened in phases as work is completed. Progress in Maharashtra remains sluggish, largely due to delays in the arrival of tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Tunnelling work, particularly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), is estimated to take at least five years, pushing the state's commissioning timeline to 2030 or later.
The viaduct construction for the bullet train project has reached 292 km. Pier work has been completed over 374 km, while pier foundation work has covered 393 km and girder casting has reached 320 km. As for bridge construction, bridges on 14 rivers have been completed, including Par (Valsad district), Purna, Mindhola, Ambika, Venganiya, Kaveri and Kharera (all in Navsari), Auranga and Kolak (Valsad), Mohar and Meshwa (Kheda), Dhadhar (Vadodara), Vatrak (Kheda), and Kim (Surat).
Seven steel bridges and five pre-stressed concrete (PSC) bridges have also been completed. The installation of noise barriers on the viaduct is currently underway in Gujarat: 3 lakh noise barriers have been installed along a 150 km stretch. Track bed construction has progressed over 135 km in Gujarat. The welding of rails on the viaduct is in progress to form long panels of 200 metres each.
Installation of overhead equipment (OHE) masts is also underway in Gujarat. About 2 km of steel masts have been installed on the viaduct between the Surat and Bilimora bullet train stations. In Maharashtra, a 21-km tunnel between BKC and Shilphata is under construction.