Track Construction for Gujarat's Bullet Train Project Gains Momentum
The Gujarat segment of the Bullet Train project is making swift progress with the welding of rails on the viaduct now underway. Rails, sourced from Japan in 25-meter lengths, are being joined using advanced fusion welding technology to form 200-meter-long rail panels. So far, 298 panels, covering approximately 60 kilometers, have been welded.
The welding process is critical to ensuring passenger comfort, track durability, and safety for high-speed travel. It involves rigorous steps, including surface preparation, precise alignment, and inspection using magnetic particle and ultrasonic testing. Flawed welds are replaced, and alignment is verified with specialized equipment from Japan.
Once welded, the panels are laid temporarily using a rail feeder car to facilitate the movement of sophisticated machinery for slab and track construction. These rails are then permanently fastened onto the track slab.
To streamline construction, four dedicated Track Construction Bases (TCBs) have been established between Surat and Bilimora and Vadodara and Anand. These bases handle track materials, machinery, and equipment, providing operational hubs for engineers and workers.
The entire process of track installation is mechanized with cutting edge machinery especially designed and manufactured, as per Japanese specifications, in India or directly purchased from Japan. Four sets (04) of track construction machineries have been arranged, so far, for the project. The fleet of machines include rail feeder car, track slab laying car, related wagons and motor cars, CAM laying car and flash butt welding machines.
RC Track Bed construction has commenced over multiple locations in Anand, Vadodara, Surat & Navsari district in Gujarat. And, nearly 64 track km of RC track bed construction has been completed.
Track slabs are being separately casted in dedicated track slab manufacturing facilities set up in Kim (near Surat) and in Anand. These factories are equipped with the most sophisticated and state-of-the-art technologies and infrastructure to produce precise slabs for track construction. As on date, more than 23,000 slabs have been cast which are equivalent to 118 track km.
To understand the methodology of Shinkansen track construction works, extensive Training and Certification (T&C) courses are being organised for the engineers, work leaders and technicians on various activities. Around 1000 engineers will get world class skills for track installation and maintenance under the guidance of Japanese experts in relevant fields.
