The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), overseeing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, announced that over 1,75,000 noise barriers have been installed along the corridor to mitigate the noise generated by the train and the associated civil structures during operations. As of September 10, these barriers have been installed across an 87.5 km stretch in Gujarat. Each kilometre of the viaduct is equipped with approximately 2,000 noise barriers on both sides, NHSRCL revealed in a press release. To support this effort, three precast factories have been established in Surat, Anand, and Ahmedabad, specifically for the production of these barriers. The noise barriers are made of concrete panels, standing 2 metres tall from the rail level and 1 metre wide, each weighing around 830-840 kg. They are designed to reflect and distribute the aerodynamic noise generated by the train, as well as the sound produced by the wheels running on the tracks. Importantly, the design of these barriers ensures that they do not obstruct the view for passengers during the journey. In residential and urban areas, taller noise barriers will be installed, with an additional 1 metre of translucent polycarbonate material on top of the 2-metre concrete panels, making them 3 metres high. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on July 31 that the land required for the project, totalling 1,389.5 hectares, has been fully acquired. He also reported progress on key construction milestones, including the completion of 350 km of Pier Foundation, 316 km of Pier Construction, 221 km of Girder Casting, and 190 km of Girder Launching. Additionally, work on a 21 km undersea tunnel has commenced.(ET)