Construction of three river bridges for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor in Gujarat has reached a significant milestone. The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) successfully completed these essential infrastructures, marking an important step forward in the ambitious project.
The first completed river bridge spans the Purna River in the Navsari district. With a length of 360 meters, this bridge consists of nine full-span girders, each measuring 40 meters. The piers supporting the bridge range in height from 10 to 20 meters, featuring circular piers with diameters of 4 and 5 meters.
Situated between the Bilimora and Surat HSR stations, the construction of this bridge encountered the challenge of fluctuating water levels during high tides. As a result, continuous monitoring of high and low tides from the Arabian Sea was necessary throughout the construction process.
The second river bridge, which crosses the Mindhola River in the Navsari district, spans 240 meters. It comprises six full-span girders, also measuring 40 meters each. The piers supporting this bridge range in height from 10 to 15 meters, featuring circular piers with a diameter of four meters.
Similar to the first bridge, the construction team closely monitored the high and low tides from the Arabian Sea during the entire construction process.
The third completed river bridge is located over the Ambika River in the Navsari district. With a length of 200 meters, this bridge consists of five full-span girders measuring 40 meters each.
The piers supporting the bridge range in height from 12.6 to 23.4 meters and feature circular piers with diameters of 4, 5, and 5.5 meters. The construction process faced several challenges, including a steep river bank slope, underground rocky strata during piling, and the need to work at a maximum pier height of around 26 meters, equivalent to a 10-story building.
These recent bridge completions bring the total number of river bridges constructed for the MAHSR corridor to four within the past six months. The entire corridor will comprise a total of 24 river bridges, with 20 in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra.
Rajendra Prasad, Managing Director of NHSRCL, highlighted the challenges faced during the construction of these river bridges. He emphasized the meticulous planning required for such projects and the close monitoring of tides from the Arabian Sea during the construction of the Mindhola and Purna river bridges.
Significantly, the longest river bridge on the corridor, spanning 1.2 kilometers, is currently under construction over the Narmada river in Gujarat. Additionally, a 2.28-kilometer-long bridge will be constructed over the Vaitarna river in Maharashtra.
Regarding the overall progress of the MAHSR project, significant milestones have been achieved. The pile work has reached 305.9 kilometers, foundation work spans 251.2 kilometers, piers have been constructed along 208.9 kilometers, and the viaduct extends over 69.3 kilometers.
Construction is currently underway at eight HSR stations in Gujarat, including Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati, with various stages of completion.
These accomplishments represent a significant step forward for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor. With progress continuing at an impressive pace, the project is on track to revolutionize connectivity between the two major cities, boosting economic growth and transforming the transportation landscape in the region.
