The National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) has successfully installed a steel bridge over four railway tracks—two belonging to Western Railways and two to the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC)—between Kim and Sayan as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

The bridge consists of two spans, measuring 100 meters and 60 meters, designed to support a double-line standard gauge rail track. This infrastructure development also involved spanning an irrigation canal near the railway tracks.

The 100-meter span was launched over the Western Railway and DFC tracks between January 28 and February 5, 2025. The 60-meter span is scheduled for installation over the irrigation canal adjacent to the tracks. To launch the 100-meter-long steel bridge, which weighs 1,432 metric tonnes, an 84-meter-long launching nose weighing approximately 525 metric tonnes was utilized.

Fabricated at an RDSO-approved workshop in Bhuj, Gujarat, the 100-meter span was transported to the site for installation. It was assembled at the Ahmedabad-end approach at a height of 14.5 meters on a temporary structure and pulled into place using two semi-automatic jacks, each with a 250-ton capacity, supported by Mac-Loy bars. The piers at this location stand at 12 meters in height.

The assembly of the 100-meter span required approximately 60,000 Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts, designed for a 100-year lifespan. Both spans are coated with C5 system painting and will rest on elastomeric bearings.

The launch was executed with intermittent traffic blocks on both Western Railway and DFC tracks to ensure safety and precision. This marks the sixth steel bridge launched out of the 17 planned in Gujarat. Five others have already been completed at locations including Surat, Anand, Vadodara, Silvassa, and Vadodara (Mumbai Expressway).

The project is advancing with strict adherence to safety and engineering standards, combining Japanese expertise with locally sourced materials under the "Make in India" initiative.

News source: ANI