NEW DELHI: A 100-metre-long steel bridge weighing 1,405 metric tonnes has been successfully launched over NH-3 (Nashik Highway) at Dive-Anjur village in Bhiwandi, Thane district, for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project. The bridge is the first steel bridge completed for the high-speed rail project in Maharashtra.

The bridge highlights the growing capabilities of Indian industry in manufacturing and delivering complex steel structures for large-scale infrastructure projects. It was fabricated at a workshop in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, nearly 1,300 km from the installation site, before being transported to Maharashtra on trailers and assembled for launching.

The fabrication process involved precision cutting, drilling, welding and painting in accordance with the project's approved designs, drawings and specifications. Each batch of steel underwent Ultrasonic Testing (UT), while welders and supervisors involved in the work were certified by international welding experts.

At the site, the 100-metre-long structure was assembled on temporary trestles at a height of around 175 metres using 22 skid arrangements and 54,076 Tor-Shear Type High Strength Bolts (TTHSB). A C5 protective painting system and elastomeric bearings were also provided to improve durability and vibration control.

The completed bridge was subsequently pulled into its final position using an automatic launching mechanism comprising two hollow jacks, each with a capacity of 150 metric tonnes, along with pre-tensioned Macalloy Bars. The launching operation was carried out during night traffic blocks on the national highway to minimise disruption to commuters.

Steel bridges are particularly suitable for railway crossings over highways, expressways, major rivers and railway lines where longer spans are required. The use of such structures in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor demonstrates the increasing use of advanced engineering and indigenous manufacturing capabilities in India's high-speed rail infrastructure.

The bridge has a height of 14 metres and a width of 14 metres. Of the 28 steel bridges planned along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor, 16 have been completed so far.