Ahmedabad: In a significant engineering milestone, all five precast-prestressed heavy portal beams (girders) have been launched over the Amdavad–Vadodara railway line in Maninagar for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project within just 22 days, the Railway Ministry said today.

The launching activity was carried out in a precisely planned sequence on April 8, 13, 19, 24 and 29, 2026, over active Indian Railways tracks. The heaviest beam, weighing approximately 1,360 MT, was launched on April 8, marking one of the heaviest lifts ever undertaken over operational railway lines. Each of the five beams weighed between 1,170 MT and 1,360 MT, making this one of the most complex structural operations executed on railway infrastructure.

At Maninagar, the Bullet Train alignment crosses over existing railway tracks at an elevated level with a skewed and constrained geometry, requiring careful structural planning. The space between the two piers is also relatively large, around 30 m to 34 m, which further necessitated a strong and rigid supporting system like portal beams to safely transfer loads.

The portal beams at this location have been designed as heavy structures to span multiple active Indian Railways tracks, including the Amdavad–Vadodara UP, Down, and third lines. Their large size and weight provide enhanced stability and minimal deflection, which is essential for maintaining precise track alignment and ensuring safe operations over such a busy railway corridor.

The launching activity was carried out using a 2,200 MT crawler crane as the primary equipment, which was used for the first time in India over active Indian Railways tracks. Each portal beam was launched in about 3.5 hours, significantly faster than the earlier nine-hour blocks, and in close coordination with Indian Railways.

“Despite challenges like limited space, OHE (overhead electrification), and active railway tracks, the operation was executed with high precision, strict safety checks, and continuous monitoring,” the ministry said.

The portal beam is a precast concrete structure measuring 34 metres in length, with a cross-section of 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres. These beams are being precast at the site and erected as heavy integrated units. DeshGujarat