Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: Superstructure Works Underway On 36 Metre Tall Sabarmati River Bridge In Ahmedabad

A major engineering milestone is underway in Ahmedabad, where a 36-meter-tall bridge—equivalent to a 12-storey building—is taking shape over the Sabarmati River as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

Spanning 480 meters in length, the bridge is being constructed adjacent to the Western Railway’s Ahmedabad–Delhi main line, which is about 14.8 meter tall, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said in a statement.

NHSRCL is the implementing agency for the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

Strategically located just 1 km from the Sabarmati Bullet Train Station and about 4 km from the Ahmedabad Station, the bridge, once completed, will not only stand as a symbol of modern connectivity but also exemplify harmony between high-speed infrastructure and existing rail network, the NHSRCL said.

The alignment in Ahmedabad district navigates over a series of existing structures including flyovers, railway tracks, and metro corridors.

To comply with the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standard of maintaining a 5.5-meter vertical clearance from the topmost point of existing structures, the bridge’s piers have been designed to stand between 31 and 34 meters tall.

The structure incorporates eight circular piers of 6 to 6.5 meters in diameter—four within the riverbed, two on the banks, and two outside the banks—carefully placed to preserve the river's natural water flow.

Unlike most bridges on the high-speed corridor, which use shorter 40-meter spans, this bridge adopts longer spans—five of 76 meters and two of 50 meters—minimising the number of in-river piers.

Each of these spans is being built using 23 cast-in-situ segments, requiring meticulous precision, highly skilled workforce and dedicated team at every stage to ensure structural strength and quality.

The bridge construction is employing the Balanced Cantilever Method, a technique suited for long-span bridges over deep waters and rivers.

"The concept of this construction method is to construct a bridge without installing scaffolding systems under the bridge and complete the superstructure of the bridge by sequentially joining the segments to form a span by post-tensioning and balancing the left and right from each pier using special erection equipment. This creates a continuous and stable bridge deck," the NHSRCL said.

Safety remains a cornerstone of the project. Strict work permit protocols and personal protective equipment—including full-body harnesses— have been made mandatory.

Catch nets have been installed beneath work areas to mitigate fall risk, and CCTV systems enable continuous monitoring.

The bridge construction has reached an advanced stage, with all foundations and substructures completed.

Superstructure works, including pier head construction and segment casting, are currently underway, according to the NHSRCL.

This Sabarmati bridge is one of 25 river bridges planned along the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor—21 of which are in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra.

Sixteen of the Gujarat bridges have already been completed across rivers such as the Par, Purna, Ambika, Auranga, and Daman Ganga.

Also Read: Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: Gujarat Section Likely To Completed By End Of 2027, Entire Route By December 2029, Says Centre