The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project completed a 480-metre-long bridge over the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad. This 12-storey-high structure marks a major milestone, as 18 of 21 planned river bridges in Gujarat are now ready. Officials said, "The construction of these segments required precision engineering, skilled manpower and quality check."

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has recorded another construction milestone with the completion of the 480-metre-long bridge over the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad. With this, 18 of the 21 river bridges planned in Gujarat have now been completed, as per the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) official release.

The bridge forms part of the high-speed rail alignment between Sabarmati and Ahmedabad Bullet Train stations. It is situated around 1 km from Sabarmati station and 4km from Ahmedabad station.

The bridge stands approximately 36 metres high, around 118 feet or the height of a 12-storey building and is located next to Western Railway's Ahmedabad-Delhi main line, which is around 14.8 metres above ground level.

Sabarmati Bullet Train bridge: Key points

Length: 480 metres

Height: Around 36 metres or 12 storeys

Gujarat latest progress: 18 of 21 planned bridges completed

Location: Between Sabarmati and Ahmedabad Bullet Train stations

Why is the Sabarmati bridge so high?

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail alignment in Ahmedabad crosses several existing infrastructure facilities, including flyovers, bridges, metro corridors, and railway lines. The Bridge piers therefore required additional height to provide the necessary vertical clearance.

The structure is supported by eight circular piers that are between 6 and 6.5 metres in diameter. Four are within the riverbed, two are on the riverbanks, one on either side and two are outside the riverbanks.

As per the official statement, the piers were strategically positioned to "minimise obstruction to river waterway."

Longer spans reduce piers inside Sabarmati River

Most river bridges on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor have spans of around 40 metres. The Sabarmati bridge instead comprises longer spans ranging from 50 metres to 76 metres, reducing the number of piers required within the riverbed.

The structure consists of five spans of 76 metres each and two spans of 50 metres each. Every span has 23 segments that were cast at the construction site.

Underlining the complexity of the work, the official release stated, "The construction of these segments required precision engineering, skilled manpower and quality check at every stage."

How was the bridge constructed?

The bridge was built using the Balanced Cantilver Method, a specialised technique suited to long-span bridges over rivers and deep waterways. The technique allows the bridge superstructure to be constructed without temporary support structures underneath the deck.

Segments are gradually erected from the piers and connected using post-tensioning, with construction carried out on both sides of each pier to create a stable and continuous deck.

18 of 21 Gujarat river bridges now ready

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor will have a total of 25 river bridges. Out of these, 21 are in Gujarat, and four are in Maharashtra.

Following the completion of the Sabarmati River bridge, 18 of Gujarat's 21 planned river bridges have been completed, leaving three still to be finished in the state.