Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, inspected the cutting-edge track slab manufacturing facility for India’s first Bullet Train project in Gujarat. This facility plays a crucial role in producing ballastless track slabs for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, integrating advanced Japanese construction techniques to ensure seamless and efficient rail infrastructure.
State-of-the-Art Facility for Bullet Train Track Slabs:
A state-of-the-art track slab manufacturing facility has been established to support India’s ambitious Bullet Train project. This milestone marks a significant leap in the country’s high-speed rail infrastructure. The factory produces ballastless track slabs (J-slab) of varying sizes as required. To date, approximately 35,000 track slabs have been cast across two factories, equating to nearly 175 km of track.
Strategic Location for Efficient Logistics:
- The factory is strategically located near the alignment at 436 km, catering to the 393 to 508 km section of the Bullet Train corridor.
- This proximity ensures efficient logistics and timely delivery of track slabs, facilitating smoother project execution.
Production Capacity and Output:
The facility manufactures precast reinforced concrete track slabs measuring 2220 mm in width, 4900 mm in length, and 190 mm in thickness, with each slab weighing 4 tonnes. The factory is designed to produce 60 slabs per day, maintaining a steady supply of 46,000 J-slabs required for the project. This will cover 115 route km of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli (352 km).
Advanced Stacking Capacity and Skilled Workforce:
- The factory boasts an extensive stacking capacity of 24,000 track slabs, ensuring organized storage and smooth transportation to construction sites.
- Engineers involved in slab production have undergone specialized training and certification under Japanese experts, following industry-leading construction practices.
Japanese Shinkansen Track Technology for MAHSR:
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor will feature a J-Slab ballastless track system, modeled on the Japanese Shinkansen track system. This track system consists of RC Track Bed, Cement Asphalt Mortar, Precast Track Slabs, and Rails with Fasteners. The installation process is fully mechanized using cutting-edge machinery, most of which are manufactured in India with Technology Transfer (ToT) from Japan.
To facilitate track construction, four sets of track construction machinery have been deployed at the site, including:
- Flash Butt Welding Machine (FBWM): Welds 25m-long, 60 kg rails into 200m-long panels at the Track Construction Base (TCB). Over 850 panels (86 track km) have been welded so far, following stringent approval methodologies.
- Track Slab Laying Car (SLC): Lifts precast slabs onto the viaduct, moves them to the track-laying location, and positions them efficiently. Four SLCs are deployed, each capable of placing five slabs at a time.
- Rail Feeder Car (RFC): 200m-long rail panels are loaded onto RFC and laid over the RC track bed. A total of six RFCs have been arranged for the process.
- Cement Asphalt Mortar Injection Car (CAM Car): Injects Cement Asphalt Mortar (CAM) under track slabs to ensure alignment and stability. Four CAM Cars have been deployed for this specialized task.
Track Construction Bases for Seamless Execution:
Six Track Construction Bases (TCBs) have been set up in Gujarat to support rail handling, slab laying, and machinery operation. These bases serve as logistical hubs for engineers, machinery, and track slabs, ensuring efficient execution of construction activities. The operational TCBs are located between:
- Surat – Billimora – Vapi
- Vadodara – Anand – Ahmedabad
Conclusion:
The track slab manufacturing facility in Gujarat is a key component of India’s high-speed rail ambitions, integrating Japanese Shinkansen technology with local manufacturing expertise. With mechanized installation and specialized machinery in place, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project is progressing steadily towards achieving world-class rail infrastructure for India’s future mobility needs.
Source: NHSRCL – Press Release | Images Credit: MoR
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