The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has completed the construction of three river bridges in just one month for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, making significant progress.

According to an official statement released on July 2, the bridges are located in Gujarat, between the Bilimora and Surat stations along the bullet train route.

Completed River Bridges For The Corridor

In June, three river bridges were completed for the MAHSR corridor. The first bridge, measuring 360 meters, was constructed over the Purna River in Navsari district, Gujarat. It consists of nine full span girders, each 40 meters long. The construction of this bridge faced challenges due to rising water levels caused by high tides in the river.

The second river bridge, spanning the Mindhola River in Navsari district, was successfully concluded. This bridge is 240 meters long and consists of six full span girders.

The third river bridge, situated on the Ambika River in Navsari district, has also been completed. It spans 200 meters and comprises five full span girders.

Rajendra Prasad, Managing Director of NHSRCL, emphasized the challenges involved in constructing bridges over rivers and the need for meticulous planning. He highlighted the monitoring of tides from the Arabian Sea during the construction of the Mindhola and Purna river bridges.

With the completion of these three river bridges, a total of four river bridges have been constructed for the MAHSR corridor in the last six months.

Country’s First Bullet Train Project

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail is currently the only sanctioned high-speed rail project in India. A total of 24 bridges will be constructed, allowing the bullet train to traverse rivers such as the Narmada, Sabarmati, Mahi, Par, Kaveri, and Tapi. Out of these, 20 bridges will be in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra.

The longest bridge in Gujarat, spanning 1.2 kilometers, is currently under construction over the Narmada River. In Maharashtra, the longest bridge measures 2.28 kilometers and is being built over the Vaitarna River.

The High-Speed Rail will cover a distance of 508.17 kilometers between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in just about two hours. It will pass through Maharashtra, the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Gujarat, with a total of 12 stations.

The NHSRCL plans to launch the first phase of the bullet train project in 2026.