Ahmedabad, April 8 The Mumbai‑Ahmedabad Bullet Train project reached a major engineering milestone on Wednesday, with the successful launch of one of its heaviest precast‑prestressed portal beams on the Ahmedabad‑Vadodara railway line in the Maninagar area, officials said.
The portal beam, a precast concrete structure weighing nearly 1,360 metric tonnes, measures 34 metres in length with a cross‑section of 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres.
Officials said that a total of five such beams are planned for installation near the Maninagar railway station.
Each beam is manufactured on site in precast form and installed as an integrated heavy unit.
"The entire launching process was completed in a remarkably short period of about 3.5 hours under strict safety standards," an official statement said.
The operation was conducted during a complete traffic and power block, coordinated with the Indian Railways.
Earlier, a long caution order of about six months and a block of nearly nine hours had been planned for the same work.
"Through meticulous planning and optimisation, this time was reduced to just 3.5 hours for both the lines of the Ahmedabad‑Vadodara section," the statement added.
The lifting operation was carried out using a 2,200-metric tonne capacity crawler crane, assisted by a 260-tonne standby crane, an 80-tonne crane, man lifters and a lifter beam system with anchoring frames.
The arrangement employed 75 mm diameter prestressed macalloy bars, lifting beams and heavy‑duty slings to safely manage the massive load.
Officials noted the engineering challenges involved, saying: "This operation presents several engineering challenges, including the management of an ultra‑heavy lift of nearly 1,360 metric tonnes -- one of the heaviest lifts ever performed on Indian railway infrastructure -- as well as the need to complete the entire erection within a limited timeframe."
Additional complexity arose from the limited working area, overhead equipment and multiple active railway lines, necessitating precise installation at a height of about 15 metres.
Officials highlighted the importance of "real‑time coordination with railway officials, provision of backup lifting systems, strict rigging supervision, constant monitoring of wind speed due to the large exposed surface area of the beam, and accurate survey and alignment control to ensure safe and precise installation".
The Mumbai‑Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, formally called the Mumbai‑Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Corridor, is a 508‑kilometre high‑speed line connecting Mumbai in Maharashtra to Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
Implemented by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) with technical and financial assistance from Japan, the project is designed for trains operating at speeds of up to 320 km/h.
Twelve stations are planned along the route.
Authorities have reported significant progress across the alignment, including pier construction, girder casting, and viaduct completion.
The project aims to commence phased operations in 2027, with full completion anticipated around 2028.
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