Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train: Eleventh bridge construction completed over Kaveri River, another over Narmada progressing rapidly

Major strides are being made in the ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. In the latest development, the bridge construction over the Kaveri River in Navsari district, Gujarat, was completed on August 25. This marks the completion of the 11th river bridge out of the 20 planned in Gujarat for the high-speed rail corridor.

According to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the bridge spans 120 meters and is supported by three full-span girders, each 40 meters long. The piers supporting the structure range from 13 to 21 meters in height, with one having a diameter of 4 meters and three others measuring 5 meters in diameter.

The Kaveri River bridge lies between the Vapi and Bilimora Bullet Train stations. The river, a tributary of the Ambika River, originates from the Vansda taluka hills near the Gujarat-Maharashtra border. It is approximately 46 kilometres from Vapi station and just 4 kilometres from Bilimora station.

Other river bridges completed for the project include those over the Par, Purna, Mindhola, Ambika, Auranga, Venganiya, Mohar, Dhadhar, Kolak, and Vatrak rivers. The successful completion of the Kaveri River bridge marks a crucial milestone in the development of India’s first high-speed rail corridor.

Additionally, construction of a 1.4-kilometer-long bridge over the Narmada River in Gujarat is progressing rapidly, according to NHSRCL’s earlier reports. This bridge, the longest river bridge in the Gujarat section of the project, is being built on well foundations, a type of deep foundation used for heavy structures on rivers. The Narmada High-Speed Rail (HSR) bridge will feature 25 well foundations, five of which will reach depths exceeding 70 meters. The deepest foundation will be 77.11 meters, with four of the wells standing taller than the Qutub Minar, which measures 72.5 meters in height.

Vivek Kumar Gupta, Managing Director of NHSRCL, stated, “Our engineers are working tirelessly to ensure the successful completion of the bridge over the mighty Narmada River.” 

Despite setbacks caused by monsoon floods in September 2023, which damaged temporary structures and halted progress, 19 of the 25 well foundations have been completed, and work on the superstructure has commenced. Out of the 24 planned river bridges for the project, 20 are located in Gujarat, with 10 already finished. 

(With agency inputs)