India’s highest cable-stayed road bridge is being constructed in Maharashtra. This 132-metre-high bridge is being built by infrastructure major Afcons in the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link project.
At present, the length of the existing expressway from Khopoli exit to Sinhgad Institute is around 19 km. The Missing Link Project will bypass the Khandala Ghat section and will reduce the distance of the expressway by over six kilometres, reducing travel time by more than 25 minutes.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link project has been divided into two packages. Afcons is executing Package-II, which comprises widening of the existing expressway from six lanes to eight lanes, construction of two viaducts, including a cable-stayed bridge in one of the viaducts, approach roads, slip roads, among various other features.
Highlights of Package II:
- Widening of 5.86-km existing expressway, including lanes, bridges, vehicular and passenger underpasses
- Construction of 10.2 km of approach roads
- Construction of 132-m-high cable-stayed bridge
- Highest pylon of 182 m on cable-stayed bridge
The foundation work for Viaduct-I, which is about is 850-m long has been completed and the launching of pre-tension girders and deck panels is in progress.
Viaduct -II, where the cable-stayed bridge is being constructed, is about 650-m long. The bridge will be at a height of 132m from the ground level which will be the highest for any road project in the country.
“At present, the construction work of the foundation, piers and pylons is being undertaken in Viaduct-II. The highest pylon in this viaduct would be 182 m from ground level, and this would also be the highest in any road project in India,” said Afcons’ project manager Ranjit Jha. “The Khandala Ghat’s hairpin turns are prone to landslides and accidents. The new link will help in reducing accidents besides improving fuel efficiency and reducing gas emissions on the stretch.”
Work on Package-II of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link project began in 2019 and will be completed in 2024.
The project faces various geological, transportation, and extreme engineering challenges. For the widening of the existing expressway from six lanes to eight, blasting for hill-cutting has to be carried out in allotted slots by the authorities.
During blasting, not only traffic but also work near blasting locations is halted, and manpower and machinery are moved to a safe area far from the impact zone. Transportation of materials and shifting of girders during heavy traffic on the expressway are a few other challenges that the team faces.
The project team has already achieved over 1.7 Million Safe Man Hours, and strict safety protocols are being adhered to in the project.
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