Mumbai: In a significant stride towards enhancing suburban connectivity, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has achieved a milestone with the successful launching of the 4rth and last grinder of a Road Under Bridge over the Pune Expressway near Chikhale station. This development is part of the Panvel-Karjat understand construction Suburban corridor under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) III. Managed by MRVC ( Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation), the project's implementing agency, now construction is in full swing, with expectations of completion by December 2025.
The bridge, comprising four 61-meter Open Web Girder (OWG) spans for both Up and Down railway lines, marks a crucial advancement in the suburban railway infrastructure between Panvel and Karjat. Two girders each span across the Pune-Mumbai and Mumbai-Pune directions, facilitating seamless connectivity.
"The launching operation of the fourth OWG girder, dedicated to the Mumbai-Pune direction for the Down line, was meticulously executed on April 10, 2024. Despite a sanctioned traffic block of three hours from 12:00 noot to 3 pm the operation was completed well within 1.5 hours, allowing traffic to resume earlier than planned" said an official.
Details On The Operation
"Key highlights of the operation include the deployment of 120 workers, specialized Hilman rollers for girder movement, and stringent safety measures, including standby equipment and medical assistance. Additionally, traffic management was efficiently handled by around 25 personnel from the Traffic Police department" he said.
"The sequential launching of girders, beginning on November 9, 2023, has culminated in a total gross weight of 1000 metric tons spread across all four girders, each weighing 250 tons. This achievement underscores MRVC's commitment to bolstering suburban railway infrastructure, paving the way for enhanced connectivity and commuter convenience in the region" said Sunil Udasi chief public relations officer of MRVC.
According to Udasi, all four OWG girders successfully launched over the Pune Expressway near Chikhale village. Fabricated at the RDSO-approved workshop in Bhilai, these girders were transported and assembled on-site before launching.
