Indias First 33.33m U-Girder Erected by CMRL - A Historic Milestone in Metro Construction
In a landmark achievement for Indian infrastructure, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), in collaboration with General Consultant AEON and contractor L\&T, has successfully erected the country’s first-ever 33.33-meter-long U-Girder as part of Phase 2, Corridor 5 (ECV-02). This is the first time such a feat has been accomplished in any Indian metro project, marking a significant moment in civil engineering and urban transit development.
The U-Girder, weighing 225 metric tonnes, was designed and executed with remarkable precision, reflecting the technical excellence and innovation of the entire team. In a departure from the usual use of steel girders at traffic junctions and U-turns to meet future traffic needs, CMRL opted to install a longer U-Girder in front of the L&T headquarters a decision that resulted in both structural and aesthetic advantages.
Despite the challenges involved in casting with special moulds, transportation, and launching, the team successfully installed six U-Girders two on each of three spans. The process involved intricate reinforcement work, pre-tensioning, and stringent quality control standards. The girders were transported from the casting yard to the erection site using specially designed 6+6 axle multi-axle trailers powered by a Volvo FH 520 HP puller.
The historic launch was overseen by Thiru T. Archunan, Director (Projects), CMRL, along with Thiru C. Murali Manoharan (AGM-EC), Thiru A. Ramakrishnan (DGM-Civil), Tmt. K. Bhavani (EVP & IC Head, Heavy Civil Infra, L&T), Thiru K. Krishna Prabhakar (Project Incharge, L&T), and other senior officials from both CMRL and L&T.
This achievement highlights CMRL’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of metro construction, while also strengthening India`s capabilities in large-scale civil engineering projects.
