Longest girder assembled for Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project

New Delhi, India (Metro Rail Today): A significant milestone has been achieved in the prestigious Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project as Zetwerk, under subcontract from Larsen & Toubro – IHI Infrastructure Systems JV, successfully completed the trial assembly of a remarkable 130-meter long open web girder (OWG) bridge.

This awe-inspiring achievement marks the fabrication of the longest girder ever manufactured in India. While the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project's Package 1 boasts a remarkable 180-meter Orthotropic Steel Deck (OSD) girder span, it's noteworthy that this OSD girder was manufactured in Japan.

The single-span girder is an engineering marvel, weighing an impressive 3000 metric tons, standing tall at 21 meters, and stretching out to a width of 13 meters. The trial assembly of this colossal structure was carried out with precision at Zetwerk's state-of-the-art facility located in Narayanpur, situated just south of Wardha in Maharashtra.

The Larsen & Toubro – IHI Infrastructure Systems Consortium secured the contract for Package P4 X & Y of the Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project, valued at Rs 1,389.70 crores, from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. (NHRCL) in January 2021. Their scope of work encompasses the fabrication and transportation of 28 steel truss bridges, requiring an estimated 70,865 metric tons of steel.

In a strategic move, L&T – IHI JV entrusted Zetwerk with the subcontract to fabricate 10,000 metric tons of girders in April 2022, with a contract value of Rs 126.55 crores. This collaboration underscores Zetwerk's commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions for complex infrastructure projects.

As the project progresses, an anti-rust primer is expected to be applied to the girder before it is meticulously dismantled and prepared for transportation. This achievement exemplifies the prowess of Indian engineering and construction firms and demonstrates their capability to execute intricate projects on a global scale.

The successful assembly of the longest girder in India for the Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project is a testament to the country's strides in infrastructure development and its commitment to delivering world-class transportation solutions.