Bullet train project: NHSRCL announces contract award for Thane depot construction

As part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Corridor (Bullet Train Project), three rolling stock depots will be established in Sabarmati and Surat in Gujarat as well as Thane in Maharashtra. Drawing from the experience of Shinkansen depots in Japan, these depots aim to facilitate efficient upkeep and maintenance of train sets.

The upcoming Thane depot will cover an area of approximately 55 hectares, featuring facilities for light maintenance of train sets. According to NHSRCL, the construction will initially include four inspection lines and ten stabling lines, with plans to expand to eight and 31 respectively.

The Sabarmati rolling stock depot, the largest among the three, will span about 83 hectares. It will be equipped for both light and heavy maintenance of train sets, housing inspection bays, a washing plant, workshops, sheds, and stabling lines. The depot’s initial configuration will include ten stabling lines, projected to increase to 29 in the future. The construction of the Sabarmati Depot, entrusted to the M/s Sojiz-L&T consortium, commenced on January 5, 2023.

Another depot is under construction in Surat, covering an area of around 40 hectares. This facility will initially receive train sets from Japan and provide basic facilities for their commissioning. The progress of works at the Surat Depot, awarded to M/s L&T, was reportedly advancing well, as per NHSRCL.