Travel between Hyderabad and Mumbai could soon become significantly faster with the proposed high-speed rail corridor moving a step closer to reality.
The ambitious bullet train project is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to nearly three hours. It will connect Hyderabad with Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Bengaluru.
The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has reportedly informed the Telangana government that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the corridor has been completed following an extensive route survey.
As per official estimates, passengers will be able to travel from Hyderabad to Mumbai in as little as 2 hours and 55 minutes, while the maximum journey duration is expected to be around 3 hours and 13 minutes. At present, the journey typically takes nearly 12 hours by road and up to 15 hours by conventional trains.
The proposed high-speed rail corridor will stretch across 671 kilometres and pass through Telangana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Of the total distance, 93 kilometres will fall within Telangana, 121 kilometres in Karnataka, and the remaining 457 kilometres in Maharashtra.
The project will feature advanced infrastructure, including elevated tracks similar to metro rail systems, along with underground stretches, tunnels, and major bridges designed to navigate challenging terrain.
One of the most complex portions of the route will be the Khandala Ghat section in Maharashtra. Authorities are planning 13 tunnels covering a combined length of 24 kilometres through the hilly region. Additionally, around 35.3 kilometres of underground track is proposed across three separate locations in the state.
The corridor will also require the construction of 101 bridges, including 13 steel bridges. Key structures planned for the route include a 360-metre bridge over the Mula-Mutha River, a 280-metre bridge across the Bhima River, and a 225-metre bridge over the Bori River.
Passenger demand projections suggest that the service could attract more than 63,000 daily commuters in its inaugural year, expected around 2050. The number of passengers is projected to rise steadily and may exceed 1.5 lakh per day by 2061.
Each bullet train operating on the corridor is expected to have 16 coaches with a seating capacity of 1,215 passengers.
To support operations and maintenance, a major depot and workshop facility is planned in Thane, while another depot will be established in Hyderabad. An operational control centre is also proposed in Mumbai.