India's Rs 1.08-trillion bullet train project is setting new benchmarks

A raft of cutting-edge technologies is being used to speed up project completion

India’s Rs 1.08-trillion bullet train project, whose first trial run — between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat — is due in August 2026, is setting new benchmarks during construction through the use of cutting-edge technologies, from augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to internet of things (IoT)-related machinery, and monitoring with light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and drones.

Executed by the state-run National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), the project is based on Japan’s Shinkansen technology and the train will be embedded with the digital Shinkansen automatic train control system, with a special braking mechanism to prevent collision and