GRSE launches India's first multi-span double lane modular bridge in Ladakh

New Delhi: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) has marked a major engineering milestone with the successful fabrication and launch of a multi-span double lane modular bridge in Ladakh. The 280-foot-long bridge (2x140 feet spans) was launched at KM 72.625 on the strategic Phobrang-Marshimik-La Hot-Spring Road and handed over to Project Himank of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on July 10.

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This is the first time in India that a multi-span double lane modular bridge of this scale has been launched, that too in just 20 days, in one of the most remote and high-altitude terrains of the country. The bridge has been built in an area marked by extreme weather and rugged geography, underlining GRSE’s engineering excellence and commitment to supporting national infrastructure in forward areas.

Designed to bolster military logistics and improve troop and equipment mobility for the Indian Army, the bridge is a major step in reinforcing border connectivity in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The steel bridge, developed indigenously by GRSE, is a hallmark of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, offering a robust and self-reliant infrastructure solution. Under an MoU with BRO, GRSE has so far supplied 56 modular bridges across India.

With a carriageway width of 7.5 meters, the bridge complies with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) standards and allows smooth two-way traffic movement. Built using high tensile Grade E-410 steel, it ensures strength, durability, and adaptability to sub-zero temperatures. The bridge has a galvanized surface finish for long service life and low maintenance, and complies with IRC 70R load classification, enabling it to support wheeled and tracked vehicles weighing up to 100 and 70 metric tonnes, respectively.

The modular structure enables rapid deployment within 30–45 days, and easy transport to inaccessible areas — making it an ideal solution for defence and disaster relief operations.

In August 2022, GRSE had earned the Green Channel Certification from the Indian Army for Portable Steel Bridges (Bailey Type), making it the only Indian entity with this distinction. GRSE’s Portable Steel Bridge Division has delivered over 5,900 bridges to various Government bodies, including the Indian Army, BRO, NHIDCL, and state PWDs. These bridges are also exported to friendly neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

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