NEW DELHI: In a key milestone for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the construction of the bridge over the Kolak River in Valsad district, Gujarat, has been successfully completed. This advancement marks another step forward in the development of India’s first high-speed rail corridor.
In an official statement, NHSRCL said that the Kolak River bridge, stretching 160 meters in length, is an engineering feat featuring four full-span girders, each 40 meters long. NHSRCL is overseeing the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.
The bridge’s piers vary in height from 14 to 23 meters, and consist of both 4-meter diameter circular piers (two in number) and 5-meter diameter circular piers (three in number).
Strategically located between the Vapi and Bilimora Bullet Train stations, the bridge is part of a series of infrastructural achievements in the area, following the successful completion of bridges over the Auranga and Par rivers. The Kolak River itself originates from the Saputara hills near Valveri and flows into the Arabian Sea, situated approximately 7 kilometers from the Vapi station and 43 kilometers from the Bilimora station.
The completion of the Kolak River bridge not only highlights the technical prowess involved in the project but also brings the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train one step closer to becoming a reality, promising to significantly reduce travel time and boost economic growth in the region.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in March this year said that the much-awaited bullet train project will be ready by 2026, with services between Surat and Bilimora commencing initially.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor has been making steady progress since work began in November 2021.
The project initially faced delays due to challenges in land acquisition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then-Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe launched the project in Ahmedabad on September 14, 2017.
National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) was incorporated on February 12, 2016 under the Companies Act, 2013 with the object of financing, constructing, maintaining and managing the High-Speed Rail Corridor in India.
The Company has been modeled as a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ in the joint sector with equity participation by the Central Government through the
Ministry of Railways and two State Governments — Government of Gujarat and Government of Maharashtra.
As per the Joint Feasibility Study report of 2015, the project was estimated to cost Rs 108,000 crore, with an expected completion period of 8 years. (ANI)