THE TRIAL run for India’s first bullet train on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai corridor will start in 2026 on the Surat-Bilimora section in South Gujarat, according to Pramod Sharma, director (works) at National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).
The Times of India reported that 92 per cent of the corridor’s 508 km alignment, mostly elevated, is completed.
The corridor has 12 stations, with eight in Gujarat, including Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Bilimora, and Vapi, and four in Maharashtra.
Sharma said 212 km of viaduct construction is finished in Gujarat, and foundation work for all eight stations is completed.
The 50 km Surat-Bilimora section is being prioritised, with construction at an advanced stage to meet the 2026 trial run target.
For the Vadodara section, spanning around 8 km, the deadline is December 2025, but work may be completed earlier.
The bullet train station in Vadodara, inspired by the city's banyan trees, is being built over platform seven of Vadodara railway station.
The elevated rail corridor will pass over five railway overbridges and three underbridges in Vadodara.
Three flyovers are completed, with the remaining two expected to be finished soon.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)