New Delhi, March 2: The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project, India’s first bullet train initiative, is progressing rapidly across Gujarat and Maharashtra. While the focus remains on these two states, an important component of the project has a direct connection to Hapur, Uttar Pradesh.
As per agency report, a 200-meter-long ‘Make in India’ steel bridge, crucial for the bullet train’s route near Nadiad, Gujarat, has been manufactured in Hapur. Transporting this massive bridge to its installation site required a 1,200-kilometer journey, during which it was split into approximately 700 segments and carried on trailers. The first span of this bridge is set to be launched this month, with full completion targeted by August 2025.
The bridge is being constructed over National Highway-48, which connects Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. It will be 14.3 meters wide, 14.6 meters high, and weigh around 1,500 metric tons. The structure is being assembled using the Tor Shear Type High-Strength Bolt technology, ensuring durability for over 100 years.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project includes 28 steel bridges, with 17 in Gujarat and 11 in Maharashtra. These steel girders are essential for maintaining the bullet train’s maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour. The project, managed by National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), involves the construction of a 508-kilometer high-speed rail line, with 352 kilometers in Gujarat, 156 kilometers in Maharashtra, and 4 kilometers in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
The bullet train will operate across 12 stations, with a top design speed of 350 kilometers per hour, although its operational speed will be 320 kilometers per hour. Once the project is completed, the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be reduced to just two hours, significantly enhancing connectivity and offering a faster, more efficient mode of transportation.
