NHSRCL awards 100% civil contracts for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor

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The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has recently announced the awarding of the last civil package (C3) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) alignment in Maharashtra. This significant package covers a stretch of 135 km and includes 7 tunnels and the longest bridge, measuring 2 km, over the Vaitarna River.

With this recent development, all three civil packages for the Maharashtra portion of the MAHSR corridor have now been awarded. These packages encompass the construction of the Mumbai (BKC) HSR station (C1), a 21 km tunnel (C2) with an impressive 7 km undersea tunnel, and the 135 km alignment (C3).

Notably, the award of this last civil package marks the completion of all 11 civil packages for the entire 508 km long MAHSR corridor. This expansive corridor includes 465 km of viaducts, 12 HSR stations, 3 rolling stock depots, 28 steel bridges (spanning 10 km of viaducts), 24 river bridges, and 9 tunnels, with India's first undersea tunnel measuring 7 km.

The MAHSR corridor has been strategically divided into 28 contract packages, with 11 dedicated to civil works, and all of them were successfully awarded within a remarkable 33-month timeframe. The first civil contract, awarded on 28th October 2020, involved the construction of 237 km viaducts and 4 HSR stations in Gujarat, setting a new record as India's largest civil contract. The final civil contract for the 135 km viaduct, along with 3 HSR stations in Maharashtra, was awarded on 19th July 2023, culminating this ambitious project.

To expedite the construction of viaducts, an innovative approach using Full Span girders has been adopted for the first time in India. These girders, each spanning 40 meters and weighing 970 tons, were launched using state-of-the-art equipment, including the Straddle Carrier, Bridge Gantry, Girder Transporter, and Girder Launcher, all designed and manufactured in India. This revolutionary technology proved to be about 10 times faster than conventional segment launching, providing a new dimension to the construction industry.

The MAHSR project is anticipated to have a significant impact on the cement and steel industries, with an estimated consumption of 1.6 crore cubic meters of cement and 17 lakh metric tons of steel.

Additionally, the tenders for track works for the complete 352 km section of the MAHSR corridor in Gujarat, out of the total 508 km, have also been awarded. The training of Indian Engineers and Work Leaders for the High-Speed Rail Track system has already commenced, with plans to train around 1000 engineers, work leaders, and technicians at a specially created facility at Surat Depot. Expert training by around 20 Japanese experts will further enhance the skills of Indian engineers, supervisors, and technicians.

In Package MAHSR-C-3, the total length spans 135 km between Shilphata and Zaroli village on the Maharashtra-Gujarat Border. It includes 124 km of viaducts and bridges, comprising 36 bridges and crossings, including 12 steel bridges. The elevated stations of Thane, Virar, and Boisar, along with 6 mountain tunnels and several river bridges, including the impressive 2.28 km bridge over the Vaitarna River, are also part of this package.

The MAHSR project is set to revolutionize transportation in the region, providing an efficient and high-speed connectivity between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. With the awarding of the last civil package in Maharashtra, the realization of this ambitious high-speed rail corridor is now within reach.