Piling Work Begins for Nagpur Metro’s Ram Jhula Section

A couple days ago, TMRG reader Akash Gajbhiye pointed out that work has started on Nagpur Metro’s Ram Jhula road bridge section. The first phase of this bridge was opened to vehicles in December 2014 and plans were made to integrate the structure of its upcoming 2nd phase with the metro’s 18.557 km east-west line that is also planned to go through the area. The NMRCL till date hasn’t invited bids for any construction along the Sitabuldi-Prajapati route, so this news seemed a little odd.

Now as per a report in the TOI, the Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation has indeed gone ahead and proactively started work by roping in NCC Limited – the contractor responsible for building 2 packages of the north-south line! NCC’s scope of work includes the construction of 8 piers for which piling work has started. Once complete, the site will be handed over to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation to start work on the 2nd phase of the bridge. The remaining portion of the metro’s viaduct will be constructed by a new contractor which will be appointed after the NMRCL conducts the bidding process for it.

As per Jawahar Salunkhe, Senior Deputy General Manager of the NMRCL:

We are doing this work out of turn so Ramjhula work is not delayed. The foundation of our pillars is 15 metre deep while that of the eastern ramp is just 4 metres. If we dig the foundation for our pillars after the ramp is constructed, the ramp will get damaged.  The foundation has to be dug very carefully in this area because a major water pipeline and an underground high tension electric cable are located here.

The metro piers’ height will range from 10 to 15 meters and have a diameter of 1.2 meters. Here’s a note from the NMRCL’s FB page:

The first phase of Ramjhula is already operational. There are 8 piers of‪ Metro viaduct between 1st & 2nd phase of Ramjhula. The pile foundation work of these pier has already started. There are 6 piles of 1.2m diameter for each pier.

Piling work has started in front of Mayo Hospital:

Location of where the east-west line cross over the Ram Jhula – view Nagpur Metro map & information

A rendering of the viaduct – Source: NMRCL

Tripod Rig being used for piling – Photo Copyright: NMRCL

Visit this older post to learn more about this section & see a nice aerial view of the Ram Jhula bridge’s 1st phase.

For more updates, check out the Nagpur section of The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG