Nagpur: A massive 257-metre Metro bridge is taking shape over busy railway tracks at Uppalwadi, nearly 80 feet above the ground. MahaMetro has begun constructing one of the most technically challenging construction works under Nagpur Metro’s Phase-II expansion using a specialised 40-tonne machine. Engineers are building the elevated structure piece by piece, virtually in midair, without erecting scaffolding beneath the bridge.
The ambitious structure, being constructed using the balanced cantilever (CLC) method, forms a crucial part of Reach-2A, the 6.92 km Metro corridor extending from the existing Phase-I endpoint towards Lekha Nagar near Asha Hospital on the Kamptee route, which is the longest stretch in phase 2. The bridge comprises a massive 110-metre central span directly above the railway crossing, flanked by two adjoining spans measuring 74 metres and 73 metres, taking the total length to 257 metres. The Metro rail level will stand approximately 24 metres above ground. A massive 150-tonne crane is being used to lift steel rods and other construction materials to the top of the supporting pillars, where the bridge is being built piece by piece. Each concrete section measures between 2.5 and 3.175 metres in length, with its thickness varying between 3 and 6.25 metres depending on the structural requirements. Meanwhile, at the Nagpur end, workers are constructing a 10.5-metre-long concrete platform, known as a hammerhead, on top of a supporting pillar.
MahaMetro has completed the substructure, while superstructure construction has commenced at the Kamptee end, officials confirmed. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Nagpur | Silver Rate in Nagpur | Bank Holidays in Nagpur | Public Holidays in Nagpur | Petrol Price in Nagpur | Diesel Price in Nagpur | CNG Price in Nagpur | LPG Price in Nagpur Stay updated with the latest Nagpur news.
A senior MahaMetro official said that unlike conventional bridge construction, which requires extensive temporary support from below, the balanced cantilever technique allows engineers to extend the bridge horizontally from supporting pillars. “Concrete segments are cast successively on either side of each pier and joined using post-tensioning technology, maintaining structural balance as construction advances,” he added. The bridge will cross three railway lines — Godhani-Kalamna, Chhindwara-Nagpur and Khaparkheda — under South East Central Railway, making it one of the most complex engineering components of the expansion. Once ready, a specialised machine called a form traveller will be installed on it to begin building the bridge section by section, extending it towards the railway crossing. The construction method is significant given the busy railway corridor and traffic movement around Uppalwadi. By eliminating the need for scaffolding beneath the structure, it reduces the requirement for ground-level obstructions during bridge construction. With work progressing during both day and night shifts, the project has now moved into a critical superstructure phase. Once completed, the bridge will help overcome a major railway-crossing obstacle and pave the way for extending Metro connectivity towards Kamptee. Download the TOI App.