100 km of Viaduct completed on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News):  In a monumental leap forward, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project, spearheaded by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), has achieved a major milestone. The construction of 100 km of viaduct, along with 250 km of pier work, marks a significant step toward the realization of the high-speed rail network.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw showcased the project's progress through a video update shared on November 23. "Progress of Bullet Train project: Till date: 21.11.2023 - Pillars: 251.40 Km, Elevated super-structure: 103.24 Km," announced the Union Minister in a post on X.

The NHSRCL, in an official statement, highlighted the completion of 100 km of viaducts, achieved through the launch of 40 m long Full Span Box girders and segmental girders. Simultaneously, 250 km of pier work has been successfully concluded. Noise barriers are now being installed along the constructed viaduct.

The viaducts boast bridges spanning six rivers in Gujarat: Par (Valsad district), Purna (Navsari district), Mindhola (Navsari district), Ambika (Navsari district), Auranga (Valsad district), and Venganiya (Navsari district). The NHSECL emphasized the initiation of the first Reinforced Concrete (RC) track bed for the MAHSR corridor track system, employing the J-slab ballastless track system from the Japanese Shinkansen technology—a first in India. Additionally, the breakthrough of a 350 m mountain tunnel in Valsad district, Gujarat, and the erection of the first steel bridge, spanning 70 meters, in Surat district, Gujarat, are noteworthy achievements. This steel bridge is the pioneer among the 28 such structures planned for the MAHSR corridor.

The NHSRCL's journey toward milestones began in October, with the successful installation of the first steel bridge across National Highway 53 in Surat, spanning an impressive 70 meters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe inaugurated the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project on September 14, 2017. The NHSRCL, established on February 12, 2016, operates as a 'Special Purpose Vehicle' with equity participation from the Central Government, the Ministry of Railways, and the Governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra. This strategic collaboration aims to finance, construct, maintain, and manage the transformative High-Speed Rail Corridor in India.