How will India's bullet train detect earthquakes and trigger emergency braking? Explained

The 508-km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor is moving ahead at full pace, with several technologies being introduced, including the installation of 28 seismometers to detect earthquakes, according to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release. The first bullet train, known as the B28 trainset, will be inaugurated on Independence Day next year, August 15, 2027.

The high-speed passenger train is expected to run at a speed of 350 kmph, with an operational speed of 320 kmph. It will have an earthquake detection system to ensure the safety of passengers.

How will the bullet train detect earthquakes?

For instance, if an earthquake is detected, the seismometers installed in earthquake-prone areas will be activated, prompting the shutdown of the power supply in the affected area. The system will then automatically trigger the train’s emergency braking mechanism, bringing trains operating on the affected stretch to a halt.

Also Read | Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train gets canted turnouts to switch tracks at 320 kmph

The system has taken cues from Japanese Shinkansen technology – a high-speed rail ecosystem in the Asian nation that uses advanced signalling, safety protocols and gauge tracks.

Among the 28 seismometers, 22 will be installed along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) alignment. In Maharashtra, eight will be located around Mumbai, Thane, Virar and Boisar.

In Gujarat, 14 will be installed around Surat, Vapi, Bilimora, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Mahemdabad and Ahmedabad.

Six additional seismometers are being set up at inland locations identified as vulnerable to earthquakes. Four of them are in Maharashtra — Kheda, Ratnagiri, Latur and Pangri — while the other two, Adesar and Old Bhuj, are in Gujarat.

The sites were selected because they have experienced earthquakes measuring more than 5.5 in magnitude within the past 100 years, in areas close to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train alignment.

Also Read | Ashwini Vaishnaw shares update on Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train

Japanese experts conducted surveys of the identified areas before finalising the locations. The suitability of the soil at these sites was also examined through micro-tremor tests.

These additional sensors will enable the system to monitor seismic activity in earthquake-prone areas and strengthen safety measures along the high-speed rail corridor.

How will made-in-India bullet trains be different from those in Japan and Europe?

Since India primarily experiences a tropical monsoon climate, the bullet train sets will be designed and manufactured to suit local conditions involving heat and dust. Meanwhile, bullet trains running in countries such as Japan and across Europe are designed in accordance with operations in cold climates. Moreover, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw declared that the next generation of bullet trains will be designed to run at speeds of 350 kmph.

The corridor, India’s first dedicated high-speed rail project, is designed for an operational speed of 320 kmph and will have 12 stations. Once fully operational, it is expected to reduce the Mumbai-Ahmedabad journey to about two hours, from 6–7 hours now.