Flat top Potain towers on record bridge project

The new 650 metre bridgebuilt by Afcons will cut out some of the winding hairpin roads as seen in the valley below the Potain MCT 385 flat top cranes. Photo: Manitowoc/Potain

Four flat top Potain tower cranes are close to finishing on a record-breaking bridge construction project in India.

As India’s tallest bridge, the pylons stand at 182 metres. It is a cable-stayed bridge over the Tiger Valley forming a key element of the Pune-Mumbai Missing Link project.

Main contractor Afcons bought and erected the MCT 385s in 2021. All have 50 metre jibs. Access roads to the site were congested, narrow and winding, making it difficult to deliver tower cranes. Making it easier was being able to transport the crane upper in seven truckloads.

The cranes were first erected to a height of 60 metres, before being climbed as work progressed, to a final working height of 181 metres. They lifted loads weighing up to 6.4 tonnes.

Commenting on his choice of cranes Amol Kulkarni, Afcons assistant general manager- procurement, said, “Our reputation hinged on the successful outcome of this project, so Manitowoc was very helpful in ensuring we selected the right cranes to meet the technical and commercial requirements. And, of course, we knew we could rely on the excellent Potain service team to quickly resolve any issues and provide technical help.”

The new bridge will be part of a new 13.3 km link allowing a straighter and safer road. It will eliminate sharp and dangerous hairpin bends and avoid areas of landslide risk in the Khandala Ghat area.

In addition to the tallest bridge, another record set on this project is for the widest twin tunnels, spanning 47 metres in 10 traffic lanes.

It is a US$800 million project scheduled to open in January 2025. In addition to improving the safety of journeys it will reduce travel distance by 6 km and save 25 minutes.

The Potain MCT 385 can have a maximum jib length of 75 metres at the end of which capacity is 2.7 tonnes. Photo: Manitowoc/Potain