The 50-km stretch of India’s first bullet train project between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat will open in 2027, and the entire section between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be operational by 2029, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.“Overall progress of the first bullet train project is very good. By 2028, the Thane-Ahmedabad section will be operational,” Vaishnaw said. The Union Minister was speaking after visiting the under-construction Surat bullet train station.“Once operational, you can go to Mumbai from Surat in just one hour. The travel time between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will be just two hours,” Vaishnaw said.Speaking on the impact of the high-speed rail on business, the minister said the ambitious bullet train project will turn economies of all major cities from Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Anand and Ahmedabad into one and spur growth.According to National High Speed Rail Development Corporation (NHSRCL), the structural work of the Surat station has already been completed and works related to interiors, roofing, and station facilities are in progress.Construction of the RC track bed and installation of a temporary track at the station have also been completed.“The (Surat) station will be equipped with modern passenger amenities such as waiting lounges, nursery, restrooms, retail outlets etc. To make the movement across different levels smooth and accessible for everyone, multiple lifts and escalators are being installed. Special attention has been given to the needs of elderly, differently abled and families with children. Passenger-friendly facilities like clear signages to guide passengers easily across concourse, platform and exit areas including information kiosks and public announcement systems are being installed,” the NHSRCL said in a statement.Story continues below this adFurther, a multi-model Integration plan has been prepared in collaboration with Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Surat Urban Development Authority (SUDA) for station area development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project (SMART), the statement said. This will allow passengers to easily switch between metro trains, buses, taxis, autos, and other local transport, ensuring smooth traffic flow around the station.Located in Antroli village near Surat-Bardoli road, the station has a BRTS bus stop at 330 metres and it will have a metro station at 280 metres (proposed).The station is 11 km away from the Surat railway station and 10 km away from the Surat City Bus Stand.Salient features of Surat Bullet Train station• Total height of station : 26.3 meter• Total built up area: 58,352 sq. m.Station building comprises of three levels:Ground Level: Parking facility, pick & drop bays (car, buses, auto), security check, lifts, escalators etc.Concourse Level: Waiting lounge, restrooms, kiosks, ticketing counters etc.Story continues below this adProgress of the entire project (As of Sept 25)The 508 km long Bullet Train corridor is being constructed between Mumbai and Ahmedabad• Out of 508 km, 323 km viaduct and 399 km pier work has been completed• 17 River bridges, 5 PSC (pre stressed concrete) and 9 Steel bridges are completedStory continues below this ad• More than 4 lakhs noise barriers installed along 210 km of stretch• 210 km of track bed construction completed• More than 2100 OHE masts installed covering approx 52 km of mainline viaduct• Excavation work on 7 mountain tunnels in Palghar district in progress• 5 km of NATM tunnel out of 21 km of tunnel between BKC and Shilphata (in Maharashtra) is excavatedStory continues below this ad• Construction of Rolling Stock depots at Surat and Ahmedabad are in progress• Superstructure work on all stations in Gujarat is at an advanced stage. Work has started on all three elevated stations and base slab casting at Mumbai underground station is in progress.