NCRTC has successfully installed a 200-tonne steel span over the Barapullah Flyover to connect Sarai Kale Khan station with Jangpura stabling yard. This complex installation, involving high-capacity cranes and night-time work accuracy, improves connectivity for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor before full-scale operations in 2025.
Introduction:
In a major engineering step, National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has accomplished a key breakthrough in the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor by successfully installing a 200-tonne steel span over the Barapullah Flyover. This span establishes a vital link between the Sarai Kale Khan Station and the under-construction Jangpura stabling yard, ensuring smooth operation and service readiness for the Namo Bharat trains.
This technically challenging feat was executed with precise coordination among NCRTC, the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Traffic Police, and other administrative authorities, highlighting a fine example of urban infrastructure synergy.
Why This Span Was Necessary:
The Jangpura stabling yard is being constructed in proximity to Sarai Kale Khan station to provide the stabling and maintenance of Namo Bharat trains. However, constructing a traditional viaduct was not feasible at this location due to two critical challenges:
- A flowing drain underneath the proposed alignment
- The Barapullah Flyover above the same stretch
In normal conditions, NCRTC erects pillars for elevated viaducts at 34-meter intervals. But in complex areas involving crossings over rivers, highways, rail lines, or urban structures like flyovers, steel spans are used to bridge longer gaps without obstructing existing infrastructure.
Technical Specifications and Construction Process:
The steel span installed here consists of four girders, each 40 meters long and weighing 50 tonnes. The entire span totals 200 tonnes and was lifted and positioned using three high-capacity cranes in a two-stage process executed at night to reduce traffic disruption:
- Initial Lift – Two cranes lifted each girder from the ground and placed them temporarily on the Barapullah Flyover.
- Final Positioning – From this position, another coordinated lift using cranes on either side of the flyover helped position the girders onto the designated pillars over the drain and flyover.
Safety First – Power and Traffic Coordination:
In addition to engineering complexity, the site has a unique challenge—a 220 kV high-tension power line passed over the alignment. NCRTC coordinated with Delhi Transco Limited to ensure alternate power arrangements and eradicate risks. The whole operation was conducted with full safety measures and adherence to civil engineering standards.
Steel Span Design and Assembly:
- These steel spans are custom-designed using factory-manufactured structural steel beams.
- The components were transported to the site via trailers—usually during night hours to avoid traffic bottlenecks—and then assembled through a systematic welding and fitting process.
- Each span is designed to withstand dynamic train loads, environmental factors, and long-term usage.
- Their modular nature enables fast installation, which is especially beneficial in dense urban zones like this part of Delhi.
What’s Next for the Namo Bharat Corridor:
This installation is a small part of the larger 4.5 km Delhi stretch between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar, where trial runs commenced on April 13. Once operational, this section will join with the already functional 55 km stretch between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South.
With 11 stations already operational and seamless intercity rapid transit underway, the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor is expected to be fully operational by 2025, significantly minimising commute times and boosting regional connectivity.
Conclusion:
The installation of the 200-tonne steel span over Barapullah Flyover exemplifies NCRTC’s engineering prowess in navigating urban infrastructure challenges. As the Namo Bharat corridor advances toward full operation, this achievement reinforces India’s growing capacity to deliver complex transit solutions with accuracy, speed, and safety at the forefront.
Source: NCRTC – Press Release | Images Credit: NCRTC
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