Western Railway successfully completed a major infrastructure upgrade by replacing the old steel girders of Bridge No. 61 with modern Pre-Stressed Concrete (PSC) slabs. This 129-year-old bridge, located between Kandivli and Borivali, now features enhanced structural stability to handle heavy suburban train traffic. The work was carried out during a planned 21-hour mega block to ensure minimal long-term disruption to services.
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Key features of the bridge upgrade project
The project involved removing four spans of old steel girders on both up and down local lines. In their place, the engineering team installed 28 PSC slabs and eight retainers. These materials provide several advantages over traditional steel structures as mentioned below:
- Higher load-bearing capacity for heavy suburban trains
- Resistance to corrosion and rust in the humid climate of Mumbai
- Reduced maintenance requirements compared to steel girders
- Improved structural stability and safety for daily operations
How Western Railway executed the 21-hour mega block
A dedicated team of approximately 180 workers and officials, supervised by Senior Divisional Engineer Ajay Singh Rajput, executed the task. To facilitate the work near the Poisar river, a temporary cofferdam was constructed to create a waterproof barrier for the workers. The engineering team also managed to construct a new fast line during the early hours of the block on March 29, 2026. CPRO Vineet Abhishek stated that replacing these old structures with modern PSC slabs represents a significant engineering advancement for the regional rail network.