New Delhi : The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has accomplished a major engineering milestone by successfully installing a massive 58.216-metre-long steel span across National Highway-9 (NH-9) and the Delhi–Meerut Expressway as part of the Blue Line extension beyond Noida Electronic City Metro Station. Remarkably, the complex operation was completed without disrupting traffic on either of the busy corridors.
The steel span forms a key part of a new reversal facility, which will enable Metro trains to reverse direction efficiently after completing their journeys at Noida Electronic City. The project includes two special steel spans measuring 58 metres and 73 metres. The first span has now been erected between Piers 384 and 385, while the second is scheduled for installation in the coming months.
The operation presented significant engineering challenges as the span had to be installed over an operational national highway and expressway while also passing beneath a live high-tension power line near Pier 384. Despite these constraints, the work was executed with exceptional precision and safety.
To carry out the installation, temporary truss structures were erected at designated locations over the highway and expressway. The pre-cast steel span was then placed on these structures and slowly pulled from the Indirapuram side towards Noida using specialised winch machinery. The span was finally positioned at a height of nearly 14 metres above the highway and expressway.
The operation was the result of months of meticulous planning, detailed engineering and continuous monitoring by DMRC engineers. The installation was carried out round the clock over two consecutive days—from the afternoon of 20 July until the early hours of 22 July—while ensuring uninterrupted movement of traffic below.
According to DMRC, the corporation has previously executed complex construction projects over busy intersections such as Moolchand, Dhaula Kuan, and the Airport Line. However, this is believed to be the first time a Metro viaduct has been erected over an operational expressway without affecting traffic, making it a landmark achievement in urban infrastructure development.
The remaining civil works for the reversal facility are expected to be completed by the end of the year, after which track laying, electrification and other systems will be installed. Once operational, the facility will enhance operational flexibility and improve service efficiency on the Blue Line.