The National Capital Regional Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has successfully installed a 73-m long Special Steel Span (bridge) weighing 875 tonnes for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, to cross the main road of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) near Duhai on the main carriageway of Delhi-Meerut Road, said officials.
The spans are installed on 16 m-high pillars constructed on both sides of the EPE. The corporation will now start track laying and installation of over head electricity (OHE) and other construction.
“For the installation of this massive special steel span, first, the entire steel span structure was erected on the top of a structure consisting of beams and columns, near the actual location. After the entire structure was built, it was moved towards the pillars on both sides and installed with the help of a winch and roller system. The whole process was very challenging and complicated, as it is a very heavy structure,” said an official.
NCRTC has so far installed steel spans on five locations of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor – one 73 m-long special span at Vasundhara on the main railway line, a 150 m-long steel span near Ghaziabad station, two 45 m-long spans for RRTS Viaduct leading to Duhai Depot and the latest one constructed to cross EPE.
NCRTC said that it usually erects pillars at an average distance of 34 meters for the construction of an elevated viaduct of the RRTS corridor. After which, the launching gantry builds the viaduct of RRTS. However, in some complex areas where the corridor crosses rivers, bridges, rail crossings, metro corridors, expressways or other such existing infrastructure, it is not practically possible to maintain this distance between pillars. So, steel spans are installed to connect the pillars.
The first phase of RRTS corridor – Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut is 82 km long and is under construction. The corridor is estimated to be completed fully for public use by 2025. The stretch from Sahibabad to Duhai will be ready for public use by March 2023.
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