Bullet train project speeds up with completion of 50 km of viaduct, 180 kms of pier works construction

Construction of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train corridor underway, in Ahmedabad, on July 1, 2022.
| Photo Credit: PTI

After facing a delay of nearly five years, the work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is speeding up, with the completion of the construction of 50 kilometres of viaduct and 180 kilometres of pier works, said Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers and columns that support a long elevated railway line.

Building the rail corridor involves work along an alignment of 352 km passing through eight districts of Gujarat and Dadra Nagar Haveli, and contracts for building bridges, stations and tracks have been awarded over the period of two years beginning October 28, 2020.

“Construction work has started in full swing all along the alignment passing through eight districts of Gujarat and Dadra Nagar Haveli. The works on all eight stations from Vapi to Sabarmati are under various stages of construction,” according to a MAHSR status report.

The project achieved another milestone of a cumulative 50 km launching of full-span and segmental girders for the viaduct. This includes a stretch of 9.1 km of continuous viaduct near Vadodara and 41.06 km erected at different locations. Also, nearly 1,882 girders adding up to 75.3 km have been cast, the report states.

Works for casting rail level slab of 250 m at Surat, 150 metres at Anand and 50 metres at Bilimora stations have been completed. The report further says that Anand/Nadiad station is the first on the MAHSR corridor to complete the concourse level, which is the first level of the station that is 425 m long.

“Concourse level slab of 60 m at Ahmedabad and 300 m at Surat stations have also been cast,” according to the report.

Apart from the Par River Bridge which was the first river bridge completed in January 2023, bridge works on important rivers – Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati are in progress.

Also, land acquisition in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadra Nagar Haveli is 99.17% complete.

Financial bids for the construction of a 21 km tunnel between Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex station to Thane’s Shilphata, which includes a complex construction of a 7 km-long undersea tunnel were opened on April 6 earlier this month.

“Also technical bids for completing the alignment along the 135 km stretch in Maharashtra including works on three stations – Thane, Virar and Boisar – have been opened on April 12,” the status report mentions.