The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) had originally invited tenders for Package "C1" of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor (MAHSR) in November 2019, but cancelled it in February 2022. Tenders were re-invited in July 2022, with a deadline of five years.[3] The MEIL-HCC Joint Venture (JV), consisting of Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) and Hindustan Construction Company Limited (HCC), won the tender in December 2022. The NSHRCL signed an agreement with the MEIL-HCC JV for the design and construction of the high-speed railway station in March 2023.[4][5] In September 2023, the JV began construction on the station after acquiring 4.8 hectares of land at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, with a completion deadline of 54 months. The station is slated to be completed by March 2028.[6][1]
The station will have six platforms and 6 tracks for regular services.[9] The platforms will be built at a depth of about 32 m (105 ft) from the ground level. It will have three levels - platform, concourse and service floor, and the exterior building above the underground levels will have seven floors, which will be used for office, commercial and residential spaces.[10] The 467 m (1,532 ft) long station area will have 6 platforms of 425 m (1,394 ft) length for 16-coach E5 Series Shinkansen trains.[4][1]
Features
Both the underground and the exterior sections of the station will have advanced facilities and amenities for visitors and passengers. There will be two entry and exit points–one to cater to the nearby metro station on Line 2B of Mumbai Metro, and another towards the MTNL building. The station's design has been made to accommodate sufficient space for passenger movement and amenities at the concourse and platform levels. There will be ticketing and waiting areas, a business-class lounge, a nursery, restrooms, smoking rooms, information booths, retail centres and a public information and announcement system. Moreover, skylight provisions will be present on the roof and ceilings for natural lighting and reduced energy usage. The station will be developed as a transport hub through integration with all basic modes of transportation for better, faster and hassle-free connectivity to and from the station, such as autos, buses and taxis.[10]
During construction, to ensure safe execution of the deep excavation work, a comprehensive ground support system is being established to prevent soil erosion and degradation. This support system will have the installation of more than 3,300 secant piles, each to extend to a depth of 17-21 metres. The primary ongoing activity at the construction site is the installation of these secant piles, with 14 dedicated piling rigs actively engaged to make the piles.[1]
Future plans
After completion of the station, it was initially planned to make it a starting point as the western terminus of the proposed Mumbai-Hyderabad high-speed rail corridor, but the plan was shelved owing to lack of space and possible environmental impacts. So, that plan was changed to make a new station as the western terminus at the under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport, and this plan was changed to make the BKC station as the western terminus for the Mumbai-Nagpur high-speed rail corridor, which is slated to be completed by 2032.[11][8]
