11th river bridge completed for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project over Kaveri

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], September 5 (ANI): The bridge over the Kaveri River in Navsari district, Gujarat, has been completed as of August 25, 2024, for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project.

This is the 11th river bridge finished out of the 20 planned in Gujarat for the project. According to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), this bridge is 120 metres long and is supported by three full-span girders, each 40 metres long. The piers supporting the bridge range in height from 13 to 21 metres, with one pier having a diameter of 4 metres and three others measuring 5 metres in diameter.

The Kaveri River bridge is located between the Vapi and Bilimora Bullet Train stations. The river, a tributary of the Ambika River, originates from the hills of Vansda taluka near the Gujarat-Maharashtra border. The Kaveri River is about 46 kilometres from the Vapi station and 4 kilometres from the Bilimora station.
Other completed river bridges in this 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 significant step forward in the development of India’s first high-speed rail corridor.

Construction of another 1.4 km bridge over the Narmada River in Gujarat for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project is also advancing rapidly, according to a prior statement from the NHSRCL press release. 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 in rivers to support heavy structures. The Narmada HSR bridge will have 25 well foundations, with five reaching depths over 70 metres. The deepest well is 77.11 metres deep, and four wells will be taller than the Qutub Minar, which is 72.5 metres high.

Vivek Kumar Gupta, Managing Director of NHSRCL, said, “Our engineers are working tirelessly to ensure the successful completion of the bridge on the mighty Narmada River.” The project faced setbacks during the monsoon season in September 2023, with floodwaters damaging temporary structures and disrupting work. Despite these challenges, engineers have completed 19 of the 25 well foundations and begun erecting the superstructure. Out of the 24 river bridges in the project, 20 are in Gujarat, with 10 already finished.