BENGALURU : For the first time in the country, a 31-metre-long U-girder was cast on Saturday night at Devanahalli yard for Corridor-2 of Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), which is also called the Mallige line.
The line includes the construction of around 8 km viaduct or elevated section from Hebbal to Yeshvanthpur using such U-girders, the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE) said in a statement on Sunday.
U-girders are U-shaped, pre-tensioned, precast girders that allow the track to be laid the right away. U-girders are widely used in metro projects all over the world as they not only ensure superior quality, but also save construction time. So far, 28-meter-long U- girders have been used in other metros.
These girders are cast in the yards and transported to the location and launched over piers using high-capacity cranes/ launchers. It requires careful planning and accuracy to cast these U-girders in casting yards, away from the cities, K-RIDE said.
Industries Minister MB Patil said, “It is a momentous occasion that a single-span, 31-meter-long pre-tensioned U-girder has been successfully cast here in Bengaluru, for BSRP. It is the first time in the country that such a 31-meter U- girder will be used for rail-based transport infrastructure. I have always believed that the BSRP with its many innovations, is not just going to be a game changer for Karnataka but will also change the way we visualise commuter rail travel.”