A 70-mtrs.-long steel bridge was successfully launched over the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) tracks near Vadodara, Gujarat, on 08 April 2025, marking a major milestone in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. This is the seventh of the 28 planned steel bridges for the high-speed rail corridor in Gujarat, collectively employing more than 10,000 tonne of steel and giving a boost to the Indian steel sector.
The newly launched bridge, weighing 674 tonne and measuring 13 mtrs. in height and 14 mtrs. in width, was fabricated in Durgapur, Kolkata. After fabrication, it was transported to the site using trailers and launched using a 49-mtrs.-long launching nose weighing 204 tonne. The bridge was pre-assembled on-site 18 mtrs. above ground on temporary trestles before the final installation. "Bridge fabrication utilized approx. 28,800 Nos. of Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts with C5 system painting and elastomeric bearings, all designed for a 100-year lifespan," officials said.
The assembly and launch used a precise mechanism involving two semi-automatic jacks, each with a 250-tonne capacity, operated with mac-alloy bars. The entire bridge launch was completed in just 12 hours, executed in carefully timed phases to reduce disruptions on the operational DFCC tracks.
Each bridge in the corridor serves as a key link in a network aimed at transforming regional connectivity and travel efficiency. With 21 more steel bridges to go, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project continues to progress steadily, with the Vadodara launch underscoring the rapid pace and technical precision driving the construction effort.