Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project Achieves New Milestone With Casting Of First 40 Metre Full Span PSC Box Girder For Maharashtra Section

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has successfully cast the first Full Span Pre-Stressed Concrete (PSC) Box Girder of 40 meters span for the Maharashtra section of Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

This significant achievement marks a step forward in the construction of the high-speed rail corridor.

The 40-meter-long PSC Box Girder, weighing approximately 970 metric tonnes, is the heaviest of its kind in India’s construction industry.

It has been cast as a single piece, without construction joints, using 390 cubic meters of concrete and 42 metric tonnes of steel.

Parallel Construction Approach

To expedite the construction of viaducts, NHSRCL has adopted a parallel construction strategy.

While the substructure work—comprising piles, pile caps, piers, and pier caps—progresses, the superstructure is being developed in casting yards established along the alignment.

These yards facilitate the casting of Full Span Girders and Segmental Girders, which are launched using heavy machinery over pre-constructed pier caps.

Preference for Full Span Girders

Full Span Girders, which are up to ten times faster to launch compared to Segmental Girders, are being prioritised for most of the superstructure.

However, for areas with site constraints, segmental girder launching will be used.

Thirteen casting yards are being developed between Shilphata and the Gujarat-Maharashtra border.

Currently, three yards—two for segment casting and one for full-span box girders—are operational.

These yards are equipped with advanced facilities, including jigs for rebar cage assembly, hydraulically operated prefabricated moulds, batching plants, aggregate storage, cement silos, quality control laboratories, and workmen accommodations.

Advanced Launching Machinery

The PSC Box Girders will be launched using state-of-the-art heavy machinery, including Straddle Carriers, Bridge Launching Gantries, Girder Transporters, and Launching Gantries.

To ensure a steady supply, girders are being pre-cast and systematically stored at the casting yards.

Drawing from Gujarat’s Success

This technology has already proven successful in the Gujarat section of the corridor, where 255 km of viaduct construction have been completed since April 2021.

The Maharashtra section of the alignment spans 135 km of elevated section, including major infrastructure elements such as four river bridges, 11 special crossings over highways and railway lines, three bullet train stations (Thane, Virar, Boisar), and seven mountain tunnels.

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