A massive gantry that was being used to place concrete girders between pillars on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train line, collapsed on Sunday while getting retracted. Although no casualties were reported, the incident did affect the running of at least 51 trains travelling via Ahmedabad to different parts of the country, The Indian Express reported.
The officials from the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services told IE that a slab-launching crane collapsed between two pillars on Vatva Road near D-Mart at 10:28 pm on Sunday. Vatva Road is where the high-speed Bullet Train project is being implemented.
The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) issued a statement on Monday explaining that on March 23, a Segmental Launching gantry used for viaduct construction in Vatva, near Ahmedabad, slipped while being retracted after completing the placement of a concrete girder. This incident affected the nearby railway line.
The statement also mentioned that senior NHSRCL officials were already at the site, and there was no damage to the structure that had been built. Heavy machinery, including two large road cranes, had arrived at the site to begin restoration work.
Which trains have been cancelled and diverted?
The Ahmedabad Division of Western Railway advised passengers to check their train schedules after the confirmed that the accident had affected over 51 trains, IE reported.
25 trains were completely cancelled, including the Karnavati Express, Gujarat Queen, Gujarat Express, and several intercity trains. Some trains, such as the Shatabdi Express, Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat, Sabarmati Express, and Shanti Express, were partially cancelled.
Western Railway also mentioned that five trains, including the Howrah Express, had been rescheduled, and six other trains, such as the Okha-Gorakhpur Express, were diverted.