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Five Massive Portal Beams Launched Over Railway Tracks in 22 Days for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train

  • by- Zaid
  • May 4, 2026
In a significant engineering milestone, five precast-prestressed heavy portal beams weighing up to 1,360 MT have been successfully launched over the Amdavad-Vadodara railway line in Maninagar for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project within just 22 days.
Five Massive Portal Beams Launched Over Railway Tracks in 22 Days for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train

Ahmedabad, May 4: Five massive portal beams weighing up to 1,360 MT have been launched over Indian Railways tracks in Ahmedabad for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project in just 22 days.

Launching Timeline

The launching activity was carried out in a precisely planned sequence on:

  • April 8, 13, 19, 24 and 29, 2026

Beam Specifications

  • Heaviest beam: Approximately 1,360 MT (launched on April 8)

  • Weight range: 1,170 MT to 1,360 MT per beam

  • Length: 34 metres

  • Cross-section: 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres

This marks one of the heaviest lifts ever undertaken over operational railway lines.

Engineering Challenges

At Maninagar, the bullet train alignment crosses over existing railway tracks at an elevated level with a skewed and constrained geometry. The space between piers is around 30 to 34 metres, requiring a strong and rigid supporting system.

Execution

The launching was carried out using a 2,200 MT crawler crane – used for the first time in India over railway tracks. Each portal beam was launched in just about 3.5 hours, significantly faster than the earlier 9-hour blocks.

Despite challenges like limited space, overhead electrification and active railway tracks, the operation was executed with high precision and strict safety checks.