Network Arch Bridge
Tlawng / Faith Bridge
Sairang, Mizoram, India
Sairang, Mizoram, India
The Tlawng / Faith Bridge represents a defining moment in the history of bridge engineering in India and beyond. This network tied arch bridge is the world's first bridge to be launched using a cable car system — a pioneering construction methodology conceived and executed by Poddar Infratech Pvt Ltd. Spanning the Tlawng River near Sairang in Mizoram, the 450 MT steel superstructure was built for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), providing a permanent, high-capacity crossing that connects remote communities in one of India's most geographically isolated states. The project has drawn attention from structural engineers worldwide for its innovative approach to erection in extreme terrain.
Mizoram's landscape is defined by deeply incised river gorges flanked by steep, densely forested ridges — terrain that renders conventional bridge launching methods virtually impossible. The Tlawng gorge presented a particularly formidable obstacle: the valley's depth and the instability of its slopes made it impractical to erect temporary piers or falsework from the riverbed. Poddar Infratech's engineering team responded by developing a cable car launch system, in which the fully fabricated arch segments were transported across the gorge on high-tensile steel cables anchored to the ridgelines on either bank. This method eliminated the need for any temporary support structure in the gorge itself, dramatically reducing both the project's environmental footprint and the safety risks associated with working at height above a fast-flowing river.
The network tied arch configuration was selected for its superior structural efficiency. Unlike a conventional arch bridge with vertical hangers, the network arch employs inclined hangers arranged in a crisscrossing pattern that distributes live loads more uniformly across the arch rib and the tie beam. This geometry significantly reduces bending moments in the arch, allowing for a lighter, more material-efficient superstructure without compromising load-bearing capacity. The 450 MT steel structure was fabricated, transported in sections through Mizoram's winding mountain highways, and assembled at the launch site — a logistical operation that required meticulous planning given the limited carrying capacity of the region's road network.
The Tlawng / Faith Bridge stands as the flagship project in Poddar Infratech's portfolio and a landmark of Indian infrastructure achievement. Its completion demonstrated that world-class bridge engineering is possible even in the most constrained and remote environments, provided the construction methodology is adapted to the terrain rather than imposed upon it. The bridge now serves as a critical transport artery for communities in the Sairang area, enabling year-round vehicular access where previously only seasonal or improvised crossings existed.
