Mumbai’s long-awaited high-speed rail corridor has reached a significant milestone with the successful installation of a 970-tonne concrete girder in Palghar district. The feat marks the beginning of an accelerated construction phase for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train, India’s first high-speed rail project.
The full-span pre-stressed concrete box girder, 40 metres in length, was launched using a specially designed gantry at Sakhare village in Dahanu. Officials from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is overseeing the project, confirmed that this is the first such girder to be installed in Maharashtra. They emphasised that the adoption of this technology allows for faster viaduct construction compared to traditional methods, giving the project considerable momentum.
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Each girder weighs nearly 970 tonnes and requires a staggering 390 cubic metres of concrete along with 42 tonnes of steel for casting. A total of 2,575 similar girders will be deployed to form the 135-kilometre elevated stretch from Shilphata to the Gujarat border. This engineering-intensive approach is designed to shorten construction timelines without compromising safety or durability.
The bullet train’s footprint in Maharashtra spans 156 kilometres, including viaducts, steel bridges, and segmental structures. The alignment also covers seven mountain tunnels with a combined length of about 6 kilometres, as well as three elevated stations located at Thane, Virar, and Boisar. According to officials, the infrastructure blueprint has been designed to ensure seamless high-speed connectivity while addressing geographical challenges.
Infrastructure analysts note that the accelerated pace of construction is not just a milestone for the project, but also a symbol of India’s shift towards sustainable, efficient, and low-carbon mobility. High-speed rail is expected to provide a cleaner alternative to short-haul flights and long-distance car travel, significantly reducing carbon emissions over its operational life cycle.Authorities have also highlighted that the bullet train is expected to transform regional connectivity. By linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad in under three hours, the project could reshape business, tourism, and commuter patterns across western India, creating new economic corridors while easing the load on conventional rail and road networks.
Experts stress that while the project has faced delays and hurdles, milestones such as the Palghar girder launch signal a turning point. With new technology and faster methodologies now in play, the focus is shifting towards timely delivery and maximising the benefits of high-speed rail for millions of passengers.For Maharashtra, the girder launch underscores more than just engineering progress. It symbolises the region’s growing role in modern, sustainable transport infrastructure, aligning India with global benchmarks in rail innovation.
