Bullet train's 480m Sabarmati River bridge completed in Ahmedabad

The 480-metre-long bullet train bridge over the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad is complete. Standing 36 metres tall, the bridge is a major structure in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. It was built using the Balanced Cantilever Method.

Construction of the 480-metre-long bullet train bridge over the Sabarmati River has been completed. The bridge is located between Sabarmati and Ahmedabad Bullet Train stations, approximately 1 km from Sabarmati station and 4 km from Ahmedabad station, a press release said.

Key Features of the Sabarmati Bridge

Standing approximately 36 metres tall, equivalent to a 12-storey building (around 118 feet), the bridge is one of the major structures of the Bullet Train corridor in Ahmedabad. It is located adjacent to the Western Railway’s Ahmedabad–Delhi main line, which is approximately 14.8 metres above ground level.

According to a press release, the MAHSR alignment in Ahmedabad crosses multiple existing infrastructure facilities, including flyovers, bridges, railway lines and metro corridors. Considering the required vertical clearances from existing infrastructure, the piers of the Sabarmati River bridge were designed with increased height.

Piers and Spans

The bridge is supported by 08 circular piers, with diameters ranging from 6 to 6.5 metres. Of these, 04 piers are located within the riverbed, 02 are positioned on the riverbanks 01 on each side and 02 are located outside the riverbanks. The strategic placement of the piers has helped minimise obstruction to the river waterway.

While most river bridges on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor have shorter spans of around 40 metres, the Sabarmati River bridge incorporates longer spans ranging from 50 to 76 metres, thereby reducing the number of piers required within the riverbed.

The release further noted that the bridge comprises five spans of 76 metres each and two spans of 50 metres each, with each span consisting of 23 segments, which were cast in-situ at the construction site. The construction of these segments required precision engineering, skilled manpower and quality checks at every stage.

Construction Methodology

The bridge has been constructed using the Balanced Cantilever Method, a specialised technique suited for long-span bridges over rivers and deep waterways. Cantilever Method enables construction of the bridge superstructure without installing conventional scaffolding below the deck. The segments are sequentially erected from the piers and joined through post-tensioning, with balanced construction carried out on either side of each pier to form a stable and continuous bridge deck.

Project Status Update

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor features 25 river bridges, of which 21 are in Gujarat and 4 are in Maharashtra. Out of the 21 river bridges planned in Gujarat, 18 have now been completed, the press release said. (ANI)

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