100 m long ‘Make in India’ Steel Bridge Completed in Ahmedabad for Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project
In a significant milestone reflecting Indian Railways’ commitment to safe, modern and passenger-centric infrastructure, a 100 m long ‘Make in India’ steel bridge has been successfully completed over the underground metro tunnel in Ahmedabad district for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project. This is the 13th steel bridge completed in Gujarat, out of a total of 17 steel bridges planned in the state, strengthening high-speed rail connectivity while ensuring the safety of existing urban transport systems.
In Ahmedabad district, the Bullet Train viaduct is being constructed using span-by-span structures with spans ranging from 30 to 50 metres. However, this particular spot has the alignment crossing over an underground metro tunnel that links the Kalupur and Shahpur metro stations. To make sure that the Bullet Train structure doesn’t put any weight on the metro tunnel, the foundations were placed quite a distance away from it. This meant they had to extend the span length to around 100 meters. As a result, the design of the superstructure in this area was changed from a span-by-span viaduct to a Steel Truss Bridge, which guarantees the structural safety of both the Bullet Train corridor and the metro system, ultimately protecting public assets and ensuring smooth passenger movement.
The bridge was put together at a height of 16.5 meters above the ground on temporary trestles right at the site. Once the assembly was finished, the temporary supports were carefully taken down, and the bridge was lowered into place on the permanent support system, making sure everything was safe and structurally sound.
Key Project Details
- Strategic Location: The bridge is located between the Kalupur and Shahpur metro stations. It was specifically designed with a longer 100-metre span to cross over an underground metro tunnel without transferring any structural load onto it.
- Structure & Scale: The steel truss bridge weighs 1,098 metric tons, stands 14 metres high, and is 15.5 metres wide.
- Indigenous Manufacturing: In line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the bridge was fabricated in a workshop in Wardha, Maharashtra, and transported to the site on trailers.
- Engineering Excellence: The assembly involved approximately 45,186 High-Strength (TTHS) bolts and features a C5 system protective coating to ensure a long service life.
- Construction Process: The bridge was assembled at a height of 16.5 metres on temporary trestles before being precisely lowered onto its permanent support system.