Team siliconindia

• A 100-metre-long, 1,400-tonne steel bridge was launched over the DFC near Bharuch for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train.
• Fabricated in Trichy, the bridge used 55,300 high-strength bolts and is designed for a 100-year lifespan.
• 300 km of viaduct superstructure is now complete, including 257.4 km via Full Span Launching Method.

In a significant leap forward for India’s first bullet train project, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has announced the successful launch of a 100-metre-long 'Make in India' steel bridge over the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) near Bharuch, Gujarat. The development marks a critical milestone in the construction of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor.

Weighing approximately 1,400 metric tonnes and standing 14.6 metres high and 14.3 metres wide, the bridge was fabricated in Trichy and transported using specially designed trailers. The launch operation involved a specially crafted 84-metre-long launching nose weighing around 600 metric tonnes. NHSRCL highlighted the use of about 55,300 Tor-Shear Type High Strength bolts, C5-grade system painting, and elastomeric bearings components all designed for a 100-year lifespan.

This steel bridge is the eighth of 17 planned in Gujarat, and part of the 28 such structures scheduled for the entire 508-km corridor. The bridge was assembled 18 metres above ground on temporary trestles and launched using two 250-tonne capacity semi-automatic jacks with mac-alloy bars. NHSRCL ensured minimal disruption to freight operations by coordinating phased traffic blocks on the DFC.

The achievement also coincides with another major project milestone: the completion of 300 km of viaduct superstructure. Out of this, 257.4 km has been built using the Full Span Launching Method (FSLM), covering 6,455 spans of 40 metres each, including 14 river bridges. An additional 37.8 km was constructed using the Span by Span (SBS) method, 0.9 km comprises steel bridges, 1.2 km features PSC bridges, and 2.7 km is built within station buildings.

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Being constructed with Japanese Shinkansen technology, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from over six hours to just about two. The high-speed rail line continues to showcase India's engineering capabilities and push towards next-generation transportation infrastructure.