India's First "Underwater High-Speed Rail" to Pass Through a 21-Kilometer Submarine Tunnel!

▲ India’s first high-speed rail will feature a 21-kilometer-long "underwater tunnel." (Illustration / campuslive24.com)

Reported by Lin Yuling / Comprehensive Report

India’s first high-speed rail line is about to take a dip in the sea. This over 500-kilometer route connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad will pass through a 21-kilometer-long underwater tunnel, taking approximately three to four minutes, with completion expected in 2018—offering passengers a truly unique travel experience.

This first high-speed railway in India is being invested in and constructed with near-zero interest loans from Japan, and the bullet-shaped train resembles the Shinkansen that runs from Tokyo to Hokkaido. It is reported that the journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, previously taking seven hours even on the fastest local trains, will be reduced to just two hours at the high-speed rail’s top speed of 350 kilometers per hour!

Although most of the high-speed rail line will run on elevated tracks, there will be a 21-kilometer-long underwater tunnel stretching from Thane Creek to Virar. The underwater section will take around three to four minutes to traverse, with completion slated for 2018.

▲ It is reported that India’s first high-speed rail train will resemble Japan’s Shinkansen in design. (Photo: Japan Hokkaido Shinkansen / Provided by JR Shinkansen)