In a major engineering breakthrough in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, five massive precast-prestressed portal beams have been successfully installed over the busy Ahmedabad–Vadodara railway
line at Maninagar in just 22 days.
Coming back to the latest update by the Railway Ministry, it informed that the complex launching operation was executed in a carefully planned sequence on April 8, 13, 19, 24, and 29. Calling it a 'significant engineering milestone,' each beam, among the heaviest ever installed over active railway tracks in India, weighed between 1,170 and 1,360 metric tonnes. The heaviest, weighing around 1,360 MT, was launched on April 8, the ministry said.
As work progresses on the high-speed rail corridor, India’s first bullet train is expected to begin operations by August 15, significantly cutting travel time between Mumbai and Gujarat.
Challenges at Maninagar
The section of the corridor presents unique engineering challenges as the bullet train alignment passes over existing railway tracks at an elevated level with a skewed geometry and limited working space. Additionally, the span between supporting piers ranges from 30 to 34 metres, requiring extremely robust structural solutions.
Therefore, to address these constraints, specially designed heavy portal beams were used. These structures span multiple operational railway lines, including UP, DOWN, and third lines, ensuring high stability and minimal deflection, both critical for maintaining precise track alignment and operational safety.
About Portal Beams Installation
The railways informed that the beams, measuring 34 metres in length with a cross-section of 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres, were precast on-site and installed as integrated units. A 2,200 MT crawler crane was deployed for the first time over active Indian Railways tracks, which played a key role in the operation. Each beam was installed in approximately 3.5 hours, a significant improvement over earlier operations that required up to 9-hour blocks. Despite challenges such as limited space, overhead electrification (OHE), and ongoing train movement, the project team completed the work with exceptional precision, strict safety protocols, and seamless coordination with Indian Railways.
Meanwhile, the 508 km Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is being executed by National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited. Contracts for developing station plazas have already been awarded at several stations in Gujarat, including Surat, Bilimora, Vapi, Bharuch, Anand, and Vadodara.
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