Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project accelerates with 970-tonne girder launch in Palghar

Source: PIB

In a significant step forward for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the first full-span pre-stressed concrete box girder in Maharashtra was successfully launched this past weekend. The milestone event took place at Sakhare village in the Dahanu area of Palghar district using a specialised full-span launching gantry.

According to the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), this is the first girder of its kind to be installed in the state. It marks the beginning of a massive installation campaign, with 2,575 such girders, each 40 metres in length, slated to form the 135-kilometre elevated section between Shilphata and the Gujarat border. Each colossal girder weighs approximately 970 tonnes, requiring 390 cubic metres of concrete and 42 tonnes of steel to cast.

An NHSRCL official stated that this construction methodology is a major catalyst for progress. “Launching the first full span girder in Maharashtra is a significant milestone. This method will enable us to speed up viaduct construction in the state,” the official was cited by The Indian Express as saying. The deployment of these pre-cast, full-span girders allows construction to proceed at a considerably quicker pace compared to traditional segmental techniques.

The project’s footprint in Maharashtra extends over 156 kilometres. This includes the 135 km of viaducts, 17 km of segmental girders, 2.3 km of steel bridges, three elevated stations at Thane, Virar and Boisar, and seven mountain tunnels with a combined length of approximately 6 km.

As reported by The Indian Express, preparatory work has been ongoing. This includes the first slab casting at Virar and Boisar stations, the completion of 48 km of piers, the construction of 2.1 km of tunnel heading in Palghar and significant progress on the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) underground station, where excavation is 83 per cent complete. Casting of deep base slabs for the BKC station has also commenced.

To ensure a seamless supply of materials for the viaduct construction, 13 casting yards have been planned across Maharashtra. Five of these are already operational, enabling girders to be cast and stored in advance.

Officials noted that construction in Maharashtra is progressing in parallel with the more advanced work in Gujarat, where the use of full-span girders for viaduct construction has been underway since 2021. “With the recent commissioning at Dahanu, Maharashtra becomes the second state after Gujarat to use this system. It will ensure timely completion of the viaduct and align with overall completion schedules,” an officer added, as cited by The Indian Express.