Ahmedabad, April 27 (IANS) Construction of a 36-metre-high bridge over the Sabarmati River is progressing steadily as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (Bullet Train) project, with several key structural milestones already achieved, officials said.
The bridge, approximately 480 metres in length and comparable in height to a 12-storey building, is being built alongside the Western Railway’s Ahmedabad-Delhi main line.
It is situated between the proposed Sabarmati and Ahmedabad high-speed rail stations, around one km from Sabarmati station and about four km from Ahmedabad station.
All eight circular piers, each measuring between 6 and 6.5 metres in diameter, have been completed. Four of these are located within the riverbed, two on the banks, and two outside the riverbanks.
The pier heights range between approximately 31 and 34 metres, and their placement has been designed to reduce interference with the river’s natural flow.
The bridge comprises five spans of 76 metres and two spans of 50 metres. Each span is being constructed using 23 segments cast in situ.
The project employs the balanced cantilever method, a technique suited for long-span bridges over rivers, allowing construction without scaffolding beneath the structure while segments are joined sequentially and post-tensioned to form a continuous deck.
Officials said that foundation and substructure works have been completed, marking a significant stage in construction. Three of the 76-metre spans have been completed, while work on the remaining superstructure, including pier head construction and segment casting, is ongoing.
Measures have also been implemented to ensure uninterrupted water flow in the Sabarmati during construction. Temporary embankments have been fitted with Hume pipe culverts, and a natural discharge channel has been maintained to allow continuous movement of water.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, spanning about 508 km, is being implemented by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited. The project involves multiple river crossings and complex structures, with several bridges already completed and others, including those over major rivers such as the Narmada and Tapti, at advanced stages.
According to recent official updates, substantial progress has been made across the corridor, with hundreds of kilometres of viaduct and pier work completed and construction advancing simultaneously at stations, depots and bridge sites.
–IANS
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