India’s ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor is set to receive a dedicated earthquake early-warning system, with 28 seismometers being installed along the route and at strategically identified earthquake-prone locations. The system is designed to detect seismic activity and trigger automatic safety measures to protect passengers, trains and critical railway infrastructure.According to the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the system, based on technology used in Japan’s Shinkansen high-speed rail network, is designed to detect earthquake-induced tremors through primary (P) waves and automatically shut down power in the affected section. Once a power shutdown is detected, emergency brakes will be activated, bringing trains operating in the affected area to a halt.Of the 28 seismometers planned for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor, 22 will be installed along the alignment. As many as eight of these will be located in Maharashtra at Mumbai, Thane, Virar and Boisar, while 14 will be installed in Gujarat at Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Mahemdabad and Ahmedabad.The alignment-based seismometers will be installed at Traction Sub-Stations (TSS) and Switching Posts, allowing the system to detect seismic activity and initiate the required safety response.The remaining six seismometers, classified as inland seismometers, will be installed at earthquake-prone locations away from the immediate rail alignment. These include Kheda, Ratnagiri, Latur and Pangri in Maharashtra, and Adesar and Old Bhuj in Gujarat. According to the NHSRCL, the locations were selected following a detailed assessment of areas near the MAHSR alignment where earthquakes of magnitude greater than 5.5 have occurred during the past 100 years.Japanese experts surveyed the identified areas, following which the proposed sites underwent detailed soil suitability studies using microtremor tests. The final locations were selected based on the findings of these assessments.The earthquake detection system is intended to provide an additional layer of protection for passengers, trains and critical railway infrastructure, drawing on Japan’s extensive experience in operating high-speed rail systems in an earthquake-prone environment.Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said construction on the Vapi-Surat section is targeted for completion by December 2026, after which testing and other associated works will be undertaken. He has also said that the first coach of India’s indigenous high-speed train has been prepared and is undergoing various tests.The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor represents India’s first dedicated high-speed rail project and is intended to introduce advanced railway technologies and high-speed safety systems to the country.The approximately 508-km corridor will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad in about 1 hour and 58 minutes, with 12 planned stations. The first high-speed rail service is targeted to commence in August 2027, with the Surat-Vapi section expected to be the first stretch to open. The corridor has a design speed of 350 kmph and an operational speed of 320 kmph.India is also planning to expand its high-speed rail network beyond the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. Seven additional high-speed rail corridors, spanning nearly 4,000 km, have been identified for future development. The proposed corridors are Delhi-Varanasi, Varanasi-Patna-Siliguri, Chennai-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Hyderabad, Chennai-Hyderabad, Mumbai-Pune and Pune-Hyderabad. The proposed network is expected to attract investments of around Rs 16 lakh crore.