The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor, India’s first bullet train project, marked a major milestone on Tuesday with the completion of 300 kilometers of viaduct construction in Gujarat. The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) announced the successful launch of a 40-metre long full-span box girder near Surat, bringing the project a significant step closer to realization.
Out of the 508-kilometer-long corridor, 353 km passes through Gujarat. Of the 300 km completed viaduct, 257.4 km has been constructed using the Full Span Launching Method (FSLM), a high-speed technique that has significantly accelerated construction. The completed section also includes 14 river bridges, 37.8 km of span-by-span (SBS) construction, 0.9 km of steel bridges comprising 10 spans ranging from 60 to 130 meters across seven bridges, and 1.2 km of PSC bridges made up of 20 spans (40 to 80 meters) across five bridges. Additionally, 2.7 km of station buildings have been included in this stretch.
A total of 6,455 full-span girders and 925 span-by-span girders have been used for the viaduct construction. Notably, this project highlights India’s engineering prowess, with indigenous equipment such as straddle carriers, launching gantries, and girder transporters being used extensively. With Japanese collaboration, the project demonstrates India’s adoption of high-speed rail technology. The Full Span Launching Method has accelerated the pace of construction by 10 times, despite each girder weighing approximately 970 metric tons. Where FSLM was not feasible, smaller segmental girders were employed.
To support construction, 27 casting yards were set up, and steel bridges were manufactured in seven specialized workshops located in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and West Bengal—symbolizing national integration through infrastructure. Over 300,000 noise barriers have been installed to minimize train noise along the route.
In addition to the viaduct, work on 383 km of piers, 401 km of foundations, and 326 km of girder casting has also been completed. Bullet train stations are progressing rapidly and will feature modern amenities such as waiting lounges and ticket counters, ensuring connectivity with both rail and road transport.
Furthermore, 157 km of RC track bed work in Gujarat has been completed, and rolling stock depots in both Maharashtra and Gujarat are under development. The MAHSR project stands as a shining example of the “Make in India” initiative and cutting-edge engineering.
