Mumbai: A major milestone in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project was achieved with the successful launching of the first 100-meter span of a twin 100-meter-long steel bridge over National Highway 48 near Nadiad, Gujarat recently. This key infrastructure element is part of the ambitious Bullet Train corridor and demonstrates the engineering precision and planning behind the project.
The steel bridge was launched across one side of NH-48, one of India’s busiest six-lane highways connecting Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. The span, measuring 14.6 meters in height, 14.3 meters in width, and weighing approximately 1414 metric tons, was slid 200 meters into position using a sophisticated semi-automatic mechanism. The launch was meticulously scheduled to ensure minimal disruption to the continuous flow of highway traffic.
Fabricated at Salasar near Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, the steel bridge features 57,200 Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts, C5 system protective painting, elastomeric bearings, and is designed for a 100-year lifespan. The structure was assembled on temporary trestles at a height of 14.9 meters, using semi-automatic jacks and mac-alloy bars for precise maneuvering.
This span marks the first of two 100-meter steel bridge segments to be installed over NH-48 in Gujarat. In total, 28 steel bridges are planned along the high-speed corridor—11 in Maharashtra and 17 in Gujarat. So far, seven have already been successfully launched in Gujarat over railways, highways, and industrial zones.
Meanwhile, Vivek Kumar Gupta, Managing Director of NHSRCL, led a team of directors, contractors, consultants, and senior officials on a comprehensive inspection of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project on Sunday.
During the visit, they assessed the progress of ongoing works, ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols and quality standards. The team reviewed the development of bullet train stations in Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati, as well as track laying works, the steel bridge site at Nadiad, river bridge construction, the rolling stock depot at Sabarmati, and examined construction activities along the railway track.
