Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], April 30 (ANI): The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), South Gujarat, is set to be held on 1 and 2 May 2026 at AURO University in Surat, marking a new direction in Gujarat's industrial and modern infrastructure development. The conference will particularly focus on the state's progress and investment opportunities in sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, and advanced technology.

India's first high-speed rail project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is steadily taking shape. As the nation moves forward on the path of Aatmanirbharta, efforts have also begun to ensure that future high-speed trains will be 'Made in India'.

In this direction, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited has issued a single tender (a tender awarded to a single designated company) to BEML Limited, a company under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, for the design, manufacturing, testing, maintenance, and associated operations of trains for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Project.

On 28 February 2026, NHSRCL issued this single tender to M/s BEML Limited, a Schedule 'A' listed company under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The company provides machinery manufacturing and critical services across sectors such as defence, railways, energy, mining, and infrastructure.

As per the tender, the company will undertake the entire process, starting from designing the high-speed train to its manufacturing, testing, commissioning (making the train fully operational), and long-term maintenance. These efforts have been initiated in line with the futuristic vision of developing indigenous high-speed trains in India.

India's first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is being realised. A 508-kilometre rail corridor is being developed for this purpose, of which 352 kilometres will pass through Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and 156 kilometres through Maharashtra. The route will include 12 stations: Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Bilimora, Vapi, Boisar, Virar, Thane, and Mumbai.

In the Union Budget 2026-27, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the development of seven new high-speed rail corridors to reshape railway connectivity. These include Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri corridors.

The construction of these corridors will expand connectivity in entire India. According to the Finance Minister, this decision has been taken to promote an environmentally sustainable passenger transport system, enhancing inter-city connectivity and accelerating regional development. (ANI)