The Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor, India’s flagship bullet train initiative, has reached a significant construction milestone with the successful completion and launch of the ninth steel bridge in Gujarat. The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) confirmed that the second 100-metre span of a 2 x 100 m long steel bridge was installed over National Highway 48 (NH-48) near Nadiad. This bridge forms part of the corridor’s planned network of steel bridges designed to ensure structural stability, alignment, and long-term reliability of the high-speed rail system.
Comprising two 100-metre spans, the bridge totals 200 metres in length and weighs approximately 2,884 metric tons. The structure stands 14.6 metres tall and 14.3 metres wide, with a design life of 100 years, reflecting the corridor’s long-term operational objectives. Fabricated at the Salasar workshop near Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, the steel segments were transported to the site and assembled prior to installation. The bridge was launched across the highway using a carefully coordinated sliding technique, ensuring minimal disruption to traffic on NH-48, one of India’s busiest six-lane highways connecting Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.
The installation process involved temporary trestles placed 14.9 metres above ground level. Two semi-automatic jacks, each capable of lifting 250 tons, were employed along with mac-alloy bars to slide the span into position with precision. Over 1,14,172 Tor-Shear Type High Strength bolts were used to assemble the structure, complemented by C5 protective painting and elastomeric bearings to ensure long-term durability and resistance to environmental stressors.
This bridge marks the ninth steel bridge completed in Gujarat out of a planned 17, contributing to a total of 28 steel bridges across the entire Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor. Maharashtra will host 11 steel bridges, while Gujarat is set to accommodate 17. These bridges include critical crossings over highways, railways, expressways, and Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFCC) tracks. They are a vital part of the corridor’s viaduct system, which has already seen completion of over 400 km of pier foundations and 317 km of viaducts.
The launch follows the completion of the first 100-metre span of the same bridge in April 2025, underscoring the methodical, step-by-step approach in managing complex installations on busy transportation corridors. Other steel bridges completed in Gujarat include crossings over NH-53 in Surat, Vadodara-Ahmedabad railway lines near Nadiad, the Delhi-Mumbai National Expressway near Vadodara, and multiple DFCC and Western Railway tracks in Surat, Vadodara, and Bharuch, demonstrating a wide distribution of structural assets along the corridor.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project is celebrated under India’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative as a symbol of technological progress and national infrastructure development. The steel bridges play a critical role in maintaining alignment and structural integrity for high-speed operations, ensuring that trains can run safely at design speeds.
Once operational, the corridor is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, enhance regional connectivity, and support economic activity by facilitating faster passenger and freight movement. The precision engineering, logistical planning, and safety measures applied in the launch of these bridges demonstrate India’s growing expertise in high-speed rail construction and large-scale infrastructure execution.
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