Published Date: 09-09-2021

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, flagged off indigenously designed and manufactured Full Span Launching Equipment – Straddle Carrier and Girder Transporter to expedite the construction of viaduct for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor, today through video conferencing.

The other key dignitaries present at the ceremony were Mr. Miyamoto Shingo, Hon’ble Minister, Embassy of Japan, Shri Suneet Sharma, Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, Shri Satish Agnihotri, MD, NHSRCL, Shri Anupam Kumar, Shri S N Subrahmanyan, CEO & MD, L&T Construction.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that to encourage Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan initiative, full span launching equipment of 1100 MT capacity is indigenously designed and manufactured by M/s Larsen & Toubro at Kanchipuram, Chennai. M/s L&T has partnered with 55 Micro-Small Medium Enterprises (MSME). India is now among select countries like Italy, Norway, Korea and China which design and manufacture such equipment.

This will expedite construction of high speed railway, as proven in metro and similar projects. Work has already begun on 325 km (in Gujarat state) out of 508 km corridor between Mumbai & Ahmedabad. More than 97% land has been acquired in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 30% in Maharashtra.

This project will improve skillset in rail construction technologies. Japanese counterparts will provide training to NHSRCL employees and contractors. More than 6000 workers are already working at various construction sites, creating employment opportunities for local youth.

He further stated that the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project is expected to create more than 90,000 jobs including 51,000 for technicians, skilled and unskilled workers. The project will boost the overall economy through deployment of heavy machinery and materials including 7.5 million tons of cement, 2.1 million tons of steel and 70,000 tons of structural steel.

National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited is also preparing detailed project reports for seven high speed rail corridors. With the experience of executing MAHSR project, future corridor works will be faster.

For the construction of viaduct superstructures of 508 km long MAHSR project, advanced methodologies like Full Span Launching Methodology (FSLM) will be adopted. This technology enables faster erection of precast girders as a single unit for double track viaduct.

FSLM is widely used globally and is faster than segmental launching method used in metro projects. PSC Box Girders (700–975 MT) of spans 30, 35 and 45 meters will be used. The heaviest 40-meter girder weighing 975 MT will be used for the first time in India.

To support this, 20 such launching equipment will be deployed for 325 km viaduct construction between Vapi and Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Additional Details:

• Work has already begun on 325 km of the corridor
• More than 97% land acquired in Gujarat & DNH and 30% in Maharashtra
• Over 6000 workers currently engaged
• Expected employment generation: 90,000+ jobs
• Material usage: 7.5 million ton cement, 2.1 million ton steel, 70,000 ton structural steel
• Preparation of DPRs for seven additional high-speed rail corridors

Attachments:

• The engineering features of STRADDLE CARRIER and GIRDER TRANSPORTER
• Photographs of the event

STRADDLE CARRIER

This equipment is designed to handle the Full Span Precast girders from casting bed to stacking yard and further feeding them to Bridge Gantry for further erection. This is a tyre mounted self-propelled gantry crane having lifting capacity of 1100 MT.

Technical Parameters:

GIRDER TRANSPORTER

This equipment is designed to transport the Full Span precast girders fed by Bridge Gantry to erection location. This is a 27 axle tyre mounted self-propelled trolley of carrying capacity of 1100 MT.

Technical Parameters: