Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project latest update: The is working in full swing on the country’s first bullet train corridor, which will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The 508-km-long High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor passes through Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
As part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR Project, the NHSRCL is now installing ‘tunnel hoods’ at the portals of mountain tunnels. “This is the first time such tunnel hood technology has been designed and implemented for railway tunnels in Bharat.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor traverses challenging terrain and includes seven mountain tunnels in Maharashtra, and one mountain tunnel in Gujarat. Tunnel hoods are being provided at both ends of these mountain tunnels. ” it said.
As tunnel hood technology is being introduced in India for the first time, it is quite interesting to know about what these structures are and how it works. According to NHSRCL, the tunnel hoods are designed to mitigate the tunnel boom effect caused by pressure waves generated by high-speed trains. It is an advanced engineering solution adopted to ensure smoother train operations and enhanced passenger comfort.
NHSRCL said that when a high-speed train enters a tunnel, it pushes a large volume of air ahead of it, similar to a piston moving inside a cylinder. “This sudden compression of air generates pressure waves that travel through the tunnel. If not properly managed, these pressure waves can create booming noise, when train exists the tunnel,” it noted.
Thus, the tunnel hoods act as a transition zone between the open environment and the confined tunnel space. By allowing air to enter and exit more gradually, they help control pressure changes and improve the overall aerodynamic performance of the system.
The tunnel hoods on the Bullet Train corridor are designed to:
“In simple terms, the tunnel hood helps the train and the air adjust to each other gradually rather than abruptly, making high-speed rail travel quieter, smoother and more comfortable,” the NHSRCL said.
