Construction of a 130-meter-long steel bridge over an Indian Railways freight corridor in Gujarat’s Bharuch district has finished as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train initiative. The bridge, near Tralsi village, spans the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) track between Surat and Vadodara sections. Officials mentioned that the bridge consists of a three-span steel structure, with a 100+130-meter continuous span and a 100-meter simply supported span.
The 130-meter continuous span, which was launched on May 16, stands approximately 18 meters high and 15.5 meters wide, weighing about 2,900 metric tonnes. Additionally, a 100-meter simply supported span, weighing around 1,500 metric tonnes, was previously erected at the site in March. The remaining 100-meter continuous span, weighing about 1,600 metric tonnes, will also be erected in situ, making the total bridge structure weigh approximately 6,100 metric tonnes upon completion.
Manufactured at the Carbon Factory workshop in Umargam, the steel bridge components are designed for a 100-year operational lifespan. The assembly of the 130-meter span took place on temporary trestles at a height of nearly 14 meters above ground level before being advanced using an automated launching system supported by two semi-automatic jacks. The construction utilized around 1,21,373 Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts, along with metallic bearings and C5 system protective painting.
Officials highlighted the successful completion of the launching work under carefully coordinated traffic arrangements on the freight track. These measures ensured the phased execution of the work, maintaining safety and precision during the launching process while minimizing disruption to freight train movement. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor includes a total of 28 planned steel bridges, with 14 out of the 17 steel bridges planned in Gujarat already completed.
