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At a height of 359 metre over the river Chenab, taller than the Eiffel tower in Paris, the Chenab bridge is the world’s highest railway bridge.
The arch bridge will connect Bakkal and Kauri villages in Reasi district of Jammu division in Jammu and Kashmir. The engineering marvel lies in the seismic zone IV, and can withstand earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8 on the Richter scale, high-intensity blasts, and winds up to speeds of 260 kilometre per hour.
The bridge, expected to become functional later this year, is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project of the Indian Railways. Passing through difficult mountainous terrain, the project includes several major bridges and tunnels, including the Pir Panjal tunnel — India’s longest railway tunnel at over 11 kilometre in length. The USBRL aims at connecting J&K’s summer capital Srinagar with the rest of India’s rail network.
Construction work on the bridge began in 2004 but was suspended in 2008-09, considering safety issues due to frequent high-velocity winds in the area. However, the work resumed in 2010. The bridge is expected to have a lifespan of 120 years.
On February 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off various rail projects in J&K including the new 48-km railway line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan and the newly electrified Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 km). The Prime Minister also flagged off the first electric train in the Kashmir valley and a train service between Sangaldan and Baramulla stations. There are at least eight tunnels between Sangaldan and the beginning of Chenab Bridge, which connects Jammu with Kashmir. The project also includes the Anji Bridge, the first cable-stayed bridge of Indian Railways.
The partial commissioning of USBRL, which includes the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section, is significant as it features the usage of Ballastless Track (BLT) all along the route, providing a better riding experience to the passengers.
As of now, the operational extent of the railway line is till Udhampur district in Jammu. In the Valley, the operational section is from Banihal in southern Kashmir to the border district of Baramulla in northern Kashmir.
The only road link to the Valley, NH-44, often remains closed in winter months due to snowfall, landslides and other natural calamities. This strategic rail link can provide connectivity during such conditions while also providing the armed forces an efficient transport system to access sensitive border areas along the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Full house: Passengers inside the train towards Sangaldan in Jammu and Kashmir.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Snow and shine: A train chugs out of the Pir Panjal tunnel, India’s longest train tunnel, on a snow-covered track at Banihal.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Power on: The first electric train in the Kashmir Valley between Sangaldan station and Baramulla station on its maiden voyage.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Difficult terrain: A view of Sangaldan-Khari section of the USBRL project in Ramban district.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Travel made easy: Passengers have a relaxed ride along the Banihal-Katra section.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Architectural marvel: The newly constructed Chenab Bridge, which is the world’s highest rail arch bridge at 359 metres.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Long journey: The bridge on the Bakkal side in Reasi district.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Meeting point: The tunnel leading to the newly constructed Chenab Bridge.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Finishing up: A construction worker on the cable-stayed Anji Bridge.
Photo:
Nissar Ahmad
Bridging mountains: The Anji Bridge, supported by 96 cables, is strong enough for trains running at speeds of up to 100 kmph.
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