Providing cost effective and environment friendly Multi-

Layer Transportation System for Metro Rail and

Highway system
Four years ago, Maha-Metro Rail Corporation Ltd along with NHAI envisaged the need of the
Railroad Bridge consisting of Multiple utilities sharing the same Right of Way in the city of Nagpur.
With the administrative approval of the same, Govt of Maharashtra gave green nod to the combined
double decker system which is not only cost effective but also a unique blend of modern and
innovative civil engineering marvel. The 3-layered transport system is coming up for the first time in
the country along Metro corridors including stations for a total length of 3.14kM.

Maha-Metro is executing a 3.14kM 3-layer Transport system including metro stations on existing
National Highway on Wardha Road in Nagpur city using a unique design and adding to the aesthetics
of the city. This 3-layer transportation system comprises of:

a. Existing Road at Ground Level

b. Elevated National Highway at the First Level

c. Metro Corridor at the Second Level

National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had decided to take up construction of one flyover of
3.14kM length within Nagpur City, for better connectivity catering future traffic, efficient commercial
transportation, and decongestion of traffic in the city areas and to reduce pollution and travel time.
The proposed alignment of the NHAI flyover is concurrent with the Metro alignment along the NH-44
having 3-metro stations in this stretch. In order to avoid construction conflicts and timeline mismatch,
the initial proposal of NHAI envisages that the Metro alignment & NHAI flyover shall have common
alignment with independent foundation & supporting structures with alternate pier arrangements for
Metro and NHAI flyover. Later, it was jointly decided that as Metro Rail & Flyover are in same
alignment metro viaduct and flyover should be constructed on common pier so as to ensure cost
saving as well as better aesthetics from economical design, savings in land acquisitions and reduced
traffic congestions on existing road level during construction. It was also deliberated that since both
the facilities are planned on same piers, then the whole project should be executed/implemented by
single agency to ensure better effectiveness in project coordination and overall savings. As Maha
Metro had already started the task of constructing Metro project along the same route, Maha-Metro
was entrusted with the construction of Fly-Over as well as Metro Rail project.

Additionally, the NHAI flyover also provides connectivity with the ROB with intersection at the first
level of the double decker arrangement to facilitate and provide convenience from the regular traffic
across the railway Level crossing towards the highly populated area of Manish Nagar.

The double decker and the road beneath, once completed, will have a three-tier structure in place,
which would cater to the dual transportation needs of the people. While the existing Hyderabad-
Varanasi National Highway and the bridge would cater to two-wheeler and four-wheeler vehicles, the
top-most structure would be used for movement of Metro trains.

The salient features of the Multi-layered Railroad system are following:

 Start Point: Near Ajni Square

 End Point: Before Pride Hotel
 Total Number of Spans: 105
 Total Length of Structure: 3.14kms
 Length of Approaches: 300m (including both sides)
 Technology Utilized: Precast Segmental construction
 Type of Superstructure: Spine and Ribs (Wings)
 Erection Method: Launching Girder
 Wings Erection method: Wings Lifter
 Type of Foundation: Pile Foundation
 Road Width Available: 19m (4-Lane), 26m (6-Lane)

Road Capacity and Level of Service (LOS):

Wardha Road, as is this road called, has always been crowded because of its location. The road is
gateway to South India and connects Nagpur to major cities like Hyderabad and Kanyakumari.
Airport, Butibori Industrial Estate, MIHAN – Multi-Modal Cargo Hub, Cricket Stadium are located
along this road, leading to higher volume of traffic there. The volume of traffic thus generated on this
route, demands alternate measures for vehicles to commute from city to other places.

Before the construction of double decker flyover, the traffic on the existing NH road was 3165PCU at
peak hour. The level of service of the existing NH road was ‘E’ i.e. “Represents operating conditions
when traffic volumes are at or close to the capacity level. The speeds are reduced to a low, but
relatively uniform value, average value being one third the free flow speed. Freedom to maneuver
within the traffic stream is extremely difficult and is generally accomplished by forcing a vehicle to
give way to accommodate such maneuvers. Comfort and convenience are extremely poor, and driver
frustration is generally high. Operations at this level are usually unstable, because small increases in
flow or minor disturbance within the traffic stream will cause breakdowns”.

In other words – a system that is capable of construction without disturbing existing traffic and
environment was needed here, and hence Double Decker. The double decker, with two-tier
transportation facility is ideally suited to meet National Highway No 7 or Wardha Road which
improved the Level of service to ‘A’ i.e. “Represents a condition of free, flow with average travel
speed usually about 90 per cent of the free flow speed for the arterial class. Individual users are
virtually unaffected by the presence of others in the traffic stream. Freedom to select desired speeds
and to maneuver within the traffic stream is high. The general level of comfort and convenience
provided to the road users is excellent.”

General description of Double decker bridge (3-layered Railroad system):

The length (including approaches), span, width (upper deck), width (lower deck), approach length on
either side and average vertical elevation is 3.14km, 105, 8.5m, 19.5m, 12.31m,18.21m, 5.5m
respectively. Bridge design includes a post-tensioned segmental-precast box girder superstructure at
two different levels one being exclusively to be utilized for metro rail and other for road traffic. The
upper metro rail superstructure is segmental box girder with 8.5m, 3m, 2m in width, length, and depth
respectively.

The lower superstructure is segmental precast prestressed spine and wing system, with its spine (four
lane carriageway) 7.5m, 3m, 2m in width, length and depth respectively & spine (six lane
carriageway) 9.5, 3m, 2m in width, length and depth respectively.

Other Technical Specifications of the Bridge are as follows:

 Total No of Spans = 105 Spans

 Total Length of Bridge = 3.14 km (Including approaches)
 6 Lane Spans = 17 Spans
 4 Lane Spans = 88 Spans
 Type of Bearing utilized = Spherical Bearing (As per IRC 83 Part 4)
 Total no of bearing required = 420 Nos of bearing
 Approach Length = Airport Side - 125m, Ajni Side - 184m

Some of the major advantages of Double Decker Bridge are:

 Biggest saving in additional land acquisition.

 Construction time is considerably reduced.
 Construction cost is reduced by around 35-40%
 The aesthetic look and state of art design makes it a well-accepted product by its users.
 Reduced traffic congestion on existing ground level road is biggest advantage

Salient features of Fly-Over and Metro Rail Track:

 Width of Metro Track – 8.5m

 Width of Fly-Over – 19.6m
 Height of Fly-Over from Ground – 5.5m
 Height of Metro Track from Ground – 20-22m

High yield strength steel of grade Fe 500D is considered for use as reinforcement bars conforming to
IS:1786. Prestressing steel in the form of stress relieved multiply strands of low relaxation
conforming to IS:14268 has been used for construction of the Double Decker. Concrete of High
grades (M60 & M70) has been used for the construction of the NHAI superstructure.

Construction Challenges:

Though the decision to construct Double Decker was taken, planning the construction was not an easy
job. Because first the work had to be undertaken without disturbing traffic on that Road, and secondly,
heavy vehicular movement on that road had to be taken into consideration, while preparing design of
Fly-Over. It was after brain—storming sessions and planning process involving Maha Metro officials
that the design was finalized, and Double Decker work launched. The Double Decker starts from Ajni
Square, on National Highway 7 and stretches almost upto Nagpur Airport. The Piling work was
launched on June 2016 and First NHAI segment was cast in May 2017. The erection process started in
September 2017.

1). Demolition of Chatrapati Square Bridge:

A flyover of approx. 400m length (excluding 100m approach on either side) was already there at
Chatrapati Square of NH-7. For the construction of Metro Viaduct as well as NHAI flyover with
double decker system, the existing Chatrapati bridge had to be demolished. The work of demolition
was to be carried out in such a way that it should not affect the adjoining/nearby structures and must
be completed in a very minimal time so to have least effect on existing NH traffic. Considering above,
a specialized agency in demolition work was engaged and the work of demolition was completed in a
record-breaking time of just 8-days including the removal of debris etc.

2). Connecting Bridge:

In Elevated metro station, access to metro platform is generally provided through concourse level
which is below the Metro viaduct and above the road level. But in the case of double decker bridge,
the same arrangement could not be provided as the NHAI flyover is running parallelly below the
Metro viaduct. For this, Maha-Metro had come up with an innovative solution of providing a
“Connecting bridge” on the pier-arm just below the metro viaduct and above the NHAI flyover. The
connecting bridge acts like an over-hanged subway which provides interconnectivity between the
platforms of Metro station.

3). Launching of Spine and Ribs:

Bridge is to be constructed in extremely busiest airport link road (Wardha Road) in the urbanized city
of Nagpur. Under these conditions a system that is capable of construction without disturbing the
existing traffic and environment was needed. To Counter this issue, Maha-Metro has devised a one of
a kind “Launching Girder” girder for the simultaneous erection of precast segmental girders of
Metro viaduct as well as the NHAI double decker Flyover.
The schematic diagram of the Launching of the Elevated Road span is shown below:

The schematic diagram of the Launching of the Elevated Metro span is shown below:

Salient Features of Launching Girder:

Segments are being lifted with the help of under-slung light movable hoist. The hoist will move over
monorails, each under webs of box girder. The Lower span is being lifted under the span itself with
the help of hoist, while the upper span is being lifted later with hoist picking and lifting the segments
from front span, in front of front support. Initial lifting will be done through the hoist and final
positioning will be done via slider beams. Each segment has own slider beams.

In line of web flats will be welded. These flats act as runway for the sliders which in turn supports the
segment. In line of both webs bottom of box plate girder, monorails is welded which permits the self-
launch of the structure over the knuckle bearing provided at top of middle support and rear support. In
order to haul launching girder, monorail is fixed underside of LG which takes the reaction from
middle/rear support by connecting it to monorail by hydraulic jacks.

The segments for each span in a particular stage will be hung from the launching girder by means of
high strength bars. These bars will be anchored at top by means of cross trolleys which in turn rest at
top of launching girder.
SUMMARY:

Once completed, the Double Decker would help in decongesting traffic on National Highway While
on one hand, the Flyover would cater to vehicular traffic – especially heavy vehicles plying on the
Highway and on the other, metro route would help in faster transportation of commuters, especially
those travelling in hundreds to reach their work place every day in the industrial estate ahead. The
Double Decker would serve the twin objectives of Maha Metro Nagpur – of providing easy and
hassle-free journey to Nagpurians and decongestion of one of the most crowded city roads. Needless
to say, the unique design and construction of the Double Decker would also add to the aesthetic
beauty of the city, especially that of the National Highway. Also, it is a highly cost and space efficient
structure as The Right of Way is being shared by 4 Facilities, all integrated on a common pier. The
structure is designed in Rib & Spine manner which is sleek as well as aesthetically pleasing. The total
project cost of the NHAI Flyover is approx. 300 Crores out of which only 50 Crores for the sub-
structure of the Flyover.

Some of the notable advantages of the 3-layered transportation are follows:

1. Savings in the Land acquisition.
2. Reduced construction time.
3. Reduced Construction Cost.
4. Reduced traffic congestions on existing road level during construction
5. The aesthetic look and state of art design.