National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has fast-tracked the construction work on the 1.2-kilometre long bridge over the Narmada river in Bharuch city of Gujarat which will be the longest bridge on the 508 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor. Principal Executive Director, NHSRCL, Pramod Sharma, informed that a total of 20 bridges will be constructed under this project as the bullet train will cross over rivers like Narmada, Sabarmati, Mahi, Par, Kaveri, Purna Ambika, Daroatha, Daman Ganga, Kolak, Mindhola, Anuraga, Kharera, Tapi, Kim, Dhadhar, Vishwamitri, Mohar, Vatrak and Meshwa. The longest bridge will be on Narmada followed by Tapi and Mahi which will be of around 720 meters.
The corporation is aiming to complete the construction work of all bridges by June 2024. For the construction of wells inside the Narmada river stream (water wells), two temporary Access Bridge of eight-meter width are being constructed in two parts with a gap of 60 meters between them for allowing navigation. The Narmada River has a tidal effect and it could have affected the construction work on the river, as such the corporation has constructed a temporary access bridge at a certain height to overcome the effect of rising water levels during monsoon.