September 8, 2025: India’s first high-speed rail project, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train, has achieved another significant milestone with the installation of the second 100-metre steel span over National Highway 48 near Nadiad in Gujarat. Together, the two spans form a 200-metre bridge, with the first completed in April 2025. This structure is now the ninth steel bridge erected in Gujarat, where 17 such bridges are planned, alongside 11 in Maharashtra.
The two spans weigh approximately 2,884 metric tonnes and measure 14.6 metres in height and 14.3 metres in width. To ensure maximum stability and durability, the bridge has been secured using more than 114,000 TTHS bolts and coated with C5-grade paint for corrosion protection. Elastomeric bearings will further absorb vibrations and dynamic loads from trains travelling at high speed.
Assembly was carried out on dummy trestles before being launched into place using semi-automated jacks, mac-alloy bars, and advanced stabilisation techniques, underscoring the precision engineering behind the project.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor spans 508 kilometres, connecting 12 stations between the two commercial centres. Designed for speeds of up to 320 km/h, the bullet train will reduce travel time from the current six to seven hours to under two hours.
The NH-48 bridge is particularly crucial, standing on one of India’s busiest highways linking Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Other completed steel bridges in Gujarat include a 70-metre structure over NH-53 in Surat and a 230-metre bridge across the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway in Vadodara.
With modern stations planned at Bandra Kurla Complex, Thane, Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad, the MAHSR project represents India’s ambition to build a world-class, sustainable transport network. The installation of the NH-48 bridge further highlights the country’s technical expertise and commitment to transformative infrastructure.
Source: Travel And Tour World
