Track installation work on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train starts
By Arun Kumar Das
Mumbai, Apr 22: Work to install the track for the proposed first bullet train project in the country has started.
The 508 km long Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor will have a J- Slab ballastless track system based on the Japanese Shinkansen track system which will be used for the first time in India.
This track system consists of four main components – RC Track Bed, Cement Asphalt Mortar (CAM), Pre-cast Track Slab and Rails with Fasteners.
To produce these J-slabs, two state-of-the-art Track Slab Manufacturing Facilities (TSMF) have been set up in Kim near Surat and Anand in Gujarat.
These factories are designed to produce high grade concrete slabs with accurate dimensions to ensure a steady supply of this critical component used in the project.
The track slabs produced in these factories are kept in the stacking area at the factory and are transported in trailers to Track Construction Base (TCB) which serve as a base for handling track slabs, machineries, equipment on the ground and at the viaduct.
To facilitate the track construction including handling of rails, track slabs, machineries and equipment on ground and at the viaduct, dedicated Track Construction Bases (TCBs) are set up.
At present, ten track construction bases, four in between Surat- Bilimora – Vapi and six in between Vadodara – Anand – Ahmedabad are operational.
The process of track installation is fully mechanized with cutting edge machinery especially designed and manufactured, as per Japanese construction practices (most of them manufactured in India).
The track construction machinery includes Flash Butt Welding Machine (FBWM)Track Slab Laying Car (SLC), Rail Feeder Car (RFC) and Cement Asphalt Mortar Injection Car (CAM Car).
The 25 metre long with 60 kg rails welded using Flash butt welding machine to form 200 m long panels at the TCB (track construction base) over the viaduct.
The same have to pass through stringent approval methodology, prior to commencement of rail welding, fit for high speed train operation at 320 kmph. The training & certification for rail weld finishing and rail weld inspection & testing have been done by the JARTS (Japanese company), which is a prerequisite to start the welding works.
Besides, there is Track Slab Laying Car (SLC) in which precast track slabs are lifted onto the viaduct, loaded on specially designed SLC and moved to the track laying location. By using SLC, which can pick 5 slabs at a time, track slabs are laid in position on the RC track bed. (BVI)
