The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has achieved another key milestone with the successful installation of a 130-metre steel bridge span near Tralsi village in Gujarat’s Bharuch district.
The newly launched segment is part of a 330-metre bridge being constructed over the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor between the Surat and Vadodara sections. Designed in a three-span layout, the structure includes two 100-metre spans on either side and a central 130-metre continuous span.
Officials said the central span was installed on May 16 and involved highly complex engineering work, making it one of the most challenging operations executed on the high-speed rail project so far.
The steel bridge stands about 18 metres tall, is 15.5 metres wide, and weighs nearly 2,900 metric tonnes. It was assembled on temporary supports positioned around 14 metres above ground and then precisely shifted into place using an automated launching system.
Engineers used semi-automatic hydraulic jacks with 250-tonne capacity along with MAC alloy bar systems to carefully position the structure. The bridge also features over 1.21 lakh high-strength bolts, metallic bearings, and a C5-grade protective coating to ensure long-term durability against corrosion and weather conditions.
Built for an estimated lifespan of 100 years, the steel components were fabricated at a specialised facility in Umbergaon, Gujarat. During the installation, freight movement on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor was maintained with minimal disruption through coordinated traffic planning.
Of the 17 steel bridges planned in Gujarat for the bullet train corridor, 14 have already been completed. The wider Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail project will eventually include 28 steel bridges in total.
