Metro Line 2B milestone: MMRDA completes steel span launch over Kurla–Vidyavihar railway corridor

The operation, carried out between 1 am and 3 am, involved the precision placement of a 54.25-metre-long span comprising four composite steel girders with a combined weight of 252 metric tonnes.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) achieved a significant infrastructure milestone in the early hours of Sunday, successfully constructing a massive composite steel span over the Central Railway corridor between Kurla and Vidyavihar stations as part of the ongoing Metro Line-2B (Mankhurd Mandale-DN Nagar) project.

The operation, carried out between 1 am and 3 am, involved the precision placement of a 54.25-metre-long span comprising four composite steel girders with a combined weight of 252 metric tonnes - all completed within a strictly scheduled two-hour railway block.

A race against time

Working within a narrow window granted by Central Railway authorities, a dedicated team of 30 engineers and 100 skilled personnel executed the lift using two 500-metric-tonne hydraulic cranes operating in tandem, supported by a standby crane for contingency. The complexity of coordinating a tandem lift of this scale - over active railway infrastructure, in the dead of night - underscores the technical sophistication brought to Mumbai's expanding metro network.

"This achievement reflects MMRDA's commitment to engineering excellence, precision and safety in delivering world-class infrastructure for Mumbai," the authority said in a statement.

Months of preparation behind two hours of execution

The seamless execution belied the extensive groundwork that preceded it. MMRDA secured all statutory approvals and block permissions well in advance, while the steel span itself underwent precision fabrication and rigorous quality checks before reaching the site. The coordination between MMRDA, Central Railway, and multiple contractor agencies was cited as instrumental to the operation's success.

What it means for Mumbai

Metro Line-2B, stretching from Mankhurd Mandale to DN Nagar, is one of the most strategically important corridors in Mumbai's expanding metro network, promising to ease the chronic east-west commute burden for millions of residents across the city, passing via the crucial BKC stretch.

"Over-track spans at busy railway junctions represent some of the most challenging and schedule-critical elements of elevated metro construction. With this milestone cleared, the project takes a significant step forward," an official said.