A proposed underwater train project linking Dubai to Mumbai remains in the early planning phase despite renewed media attention in India last week.
Abdulla Al Shehhi, managing director of The National Advisor Bureau Limited, clarified that the project is still being studied for feasibility and has not yet received official approval. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Al Shehhi emphasized that the ambitious idea is not ready for implementation and remains purely conceptual for now.
First introduced in 2018, the underwater railway would enhance trade and passenger connectivity between the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent. Al Shehhi said the idea envisions connecting cities like Muscat, Karachi, and beyond, creating a network that could benefit approximately 1.5 billion people in the region.
If realised, the train would rely on magnetic levitation (maglev) technology, potentially reaching speeds of up to 1,000 km/h. The system would run through submerged concrete tunnels anchored 20–30 meters beneath the sea’s surface.
Al Shehhi also suggested the project could support the transportation of oil from the UAE to India and freshwater from India’s Narmada River to the UAE.
The bureau, known for imaginative proposals such as towing Antarctic icebergs to the UAE, says the project remains a long-term vision requiring significant technical and political groundwork.
It is big threat to under sea environment