Indian Railways Pushes For Timely Completion Of Kashmir Rail Link Project

Despite many hurdles, the tunnelling work is picking up speed in the Kashmir rail link project, and expected to be completed by the year end.

Pitching for faster completion, Railway Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vinay Kumar Tripathi, has inspected the ongoing tunnel works on the 111 km long Katra-Banihal section of the ambitious project.

He has directed project authorities to further accelerate the work, especially tunnel 14 (T-14) and ballastless track (BLT) work in the section. He also emphasised that electrical and mechanical (E&M) and signal and telecom (S&T) work should be taken up simultaneously to ensure timely completion of the project.

The national project in Jammu and Kashmir, also known as Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project, aims to connect the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country through a rail network.

The tunnel excavation of up to 1,860 metre has been completed from portal one (P1) end and 1,039 m completed from portal two (P2) end.

The progress on the balance excavation of up to 260 metres is slow due to the main boundary thrust location, it was observed.

Tunnel excavation requires a lot of pre-support measures and also post-excavation support systems.

The executing agency was advised to complete the balance of 260 metres excavation expeditiously by augmenting resources.

Northern Railway/Konkan Railway Corporation Limited were directed to closely monitor the progress.

After Tunnel T-1, inspection continued with run through in already completed tunnel T-2 having length of 5,090 m of main tunnel and parallel escape tunnel of length 5,072 metres.

Ballastless track (BLT) work in this tunnel is in progress and nearly 2.5 km of HBL (Hydraulically bonded layer) has already been laid.

After T-2, Anji Bridge (Katra end), which is Indian Railway’s first cable stayed bridge having a total length of 725 metres was inspected.

Anji Bridge has a single main pylon of 193 m height from foundation top and 331 metre above the river bed.

At Katra end of this bridge, construction of abutment substructure was in progress and 9 metres have been cast out of 22.3 metre height.

Project executives informed that only balance work on Katra end is 38 metre span, which is under fabrication and will be launched by December 2022.

Thereafter, Reasi end of Anji bridge was inspected. Sub-structure has been completed and super structure launching/erection is under way.

About 249 metre out of the 473 metre deck has been erected which includes launching of six segments using Derrick (segment launcher).

Project executives informed that launching of three segments (30 metres) in a month is being achieved and all efforts are being made to expedite the same.

After Anji Bridge, another major bridge number 39 was inspected, which is a composite girder of 490 metre length and in the final stage of completion.

The tallest Pier P5 of this bridge is 105 metre from foundation level and Reasi yard is extending over this bridge and will hold two lines and also two platforms.

Deck slab for the main girder has been completed and the platform girder is in progress. It was informed by project executives that balance works shall be completed by November 2022.

Reasi station building work was also inspected. Ground floor slab has been cast and shuttering work for the first floor is in progress.

It was informed that Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force barracks are being constructed below the circulating area as basement and work of the same is in full swing.

Thereafter, Reasi inspection continued by travelling 20 Km to Bakkal end and reached Bridge-43, which is 777 metres long and is the second longest bridge in this project.

Bridge has curvature of 1.4⁰ and launching of girder has been done on curve with precision by end launching from both ends and is completed.

After Bridge-39, inspection continued to Chenab Bridge, which is the highest railway bridge in the world. Golden joint of the deck for this bridge was successfully completed on 13 August 2022.

All tunnel, bridge and track linking works from Chenab bridge onwards till Tunnel T-14 were inspected.

CRB expressed satisfaction regarding pace and progress of works and directed project authorities to further push the progress specially T-14 and BLT works.

He further emphasised that E&M and S&T works should also be taken up in parallel so as to ensure timely completion of the project.