Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 26 : The ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR) project, spearheaded by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), achieved a significant milestone on Friday with the BMC successfully installing the first bow arch string girder that connects the Coastal Road to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL).
The massive girder setup installation was completed at 3:25 am on Friday.
This achievement to connect the two routes through such a giant girder by utilizing the tidal conditions in the open sea marks a pioneering approach.
The most challenging phase of the 10.58-km-long Mumbai Coastal Road project is the convergence of the Mumbai Coastal Road and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
To address this, the municipal administration meticulously prepared a well-planned strategy. The first bow arch string girder commenced its journey from Mazagaon Dock at 12:30 pm on Wednesday. It successfully reached the Bandra-Worli Sea Link at 4 am on Thursday.
The process of setting up the girders commenced at 2 am while keeping a close eye on tidal conditions. The girder was gradually brought to the midpoint between the Mumbai Coastal Road and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link using a barge. Engineers utilized their expertise to stabilize the barge amid anticipated sea waves and wind speeds.
Four mating units had been established, with two located on the Mumbai Coastal Road and two on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. At these mating units, the white mating angles on all four corners of the girder were precisely installed by 3:25 a.m.
Once all four mating cones and mating units were aligned, the officers, engineers, and workers present expressed their joy at the successful completion of the mission by cheering and clapping. Subsequently, the empty barge below the girder was removed.
The girder, which was installed on Friday, weighs 2,000 metric tons and measures 136 meters in length and 18 to 21 meters in width. Various pre-fabricated parts of this girder were manufactured in Ambala (Haryana).
Subsequently, with the assistance of approximately 500 trailers, these pre-fabricated parts were transported to Mazgaon Dock and assembled together at Nhava port. Finally, the girder was transported from Nhava port in Navi Mumbai to Mazagaon Dock and then to Worli using a barge.
Two mating cones and two mating units have been installed on both the Worli side of the Mumbai Coastal Road project and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The correct combination of these mating cones and units has been established.
Each mating unit has a diameter of 2 meters, while the mating cones measure 1.8 meters in diameter. Following this, jacks will be installed on all four corners, along with mating cones and units.
Subsequently, the mating cones and units will be removed after the jacks are activated. The next technical step will involve settling the girder with the assistance of bearings, after which the jacks will be removed.
In the upcoming phase, cement concretisation will be carried out, which spans between the Worli end of the Mumbai Coastal Road and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. To prevent corrosion, advanced C-5 Japanese technology has been utilized. Additionally, the pre-fabricated parts of the girder have been interconnected using highly advanced welding technology.