The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a major Indian highway, but despite its size, it is prone to congestion owing to the large population it serves.
As a result, the road's owner, the Maharashtra State Development Corp., is building a new bypass that includes a large cable-stayed bridge at Lonavala. Key to the construction of the new bridge are four Potain MCT 385 tower cranes – one for each of the bridge's four pylons.
The cranes are owned by Afcons Infrastructure, the project's main contractor, and supplied by its Construction, Plant and Equipment (CPE) division.
The Potain MCT 385 cranes were selected for their precision and reliability on demanding projects, and their versatility has kept work on schedule. The 20 t Potain cranes are positioning hanging brackets, lifting cable-stay pipes, pouring concrete and handling various other elements. They are configured at hook heights between 175 m and 190 m, and all four are working with 50 m jibs.
"The Potain MCT 385 cranes are well-suited to the requirements of this project," said Al Amin, deputy general manager, Afcons Infrastructure CPE. Their reliability and performance have supported consistent progress on a technically demanding site."
Since their commissioning in 2022, the four Potain cranes have averaged a 98 percent uptime. Manitowoc's service and parts availability have helped maintain near-uninterrupted crane operations, even under challenging site conditions and working heights.
"From handling large structural components to performing detailed lifting work at height, these cranes have met the project's operational needs," said Gangadhar Jha, manager, Afcons Infrastructure CPE. "The service support has also contributed to smooth execution on site."
In addition to Potain tower cranes, the site is also supported by Manitowoc crawler cranes and Grove mobile cranes, providing complementary lifting capabilities for this complex infrastructure development.
Potain said its MCT 385 cranes on the Missing Link project are time-tested models that continue to deliver reliable and impressive lifting performance, thanks to their world-class engineering and Manitowoc's strong customer support from the local team in India.
The MCT 385 has now been updated in the Potain Asian tower crane line with the MCT 385A L20, which includes several updates over the original.
For details, visit manitowoc.com/potain/top-slewing-cranes-asia/mct-385a-l20.
