Strategic Jammu Srinagar rail link gets green signal again

[rubyjackass]

Tallest rail bridge over Chenab river clears safety test
9 Jun 2010, 1126 hrs IST,PTI

NEW DELHI: Work has resumed on the construction of the world's tallest railway bridge over Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district after its alignment was found safe by a team of IIT-Delhi.

The Chenab rail bridge, slated to be 35 metre taller than the 324 metre tall Eiffel Tower in Paris, is a crucial link in the 125 km Katra-Banihal rail link.

"The IIT-Delhi team headed by Prof KS Rao carried out the safety tests of the proposed 359 metre tall bridge. It found the bridge construction fulfils all safety parameters," a senior Railway Ministry official said.

The construction of the bridge was halted in July 2008 after concerns were raised over its safety and alignment. Railways had constituted a seven-member expert committee headed by former Chairman, Railway Board, M Ravindran to examine the issue.

Professors from IIT Mumbai, Panjab University and an Austrian consultant were part of the expert committee which examined the issue threadbare.

Though the expert committee found the proposed alignment of the 1315 metre-long Chenab bridge fully safe, it suggested more conformity tests to be carried out by an independent agency keeping in view the topography of the area.

"Tests were conducted for safety aspects of the high structure and the alignment by the IIT-D team. Results are very satisfactory," said the official.

While two designers from the US and Finland, part of a global designing consultancy firm WSP, are involved in designing the tallest rail bridge, a UK-based proof consultant is involved in re-checking the final design as fool-proof measure.

The construction of the Rs 550 crore bridge is expected to be completed by 2016.

 

[SpArK]

World's tallest railway bridge in J&K , wow that's news!!!!!!!

 

[rubyjackass]

Railways brings highest, tallest, bridge to Kashmir
12 Jun 2010, 0236 hrs IST,Masood Hussain,ET Bureau

SRINAGAR: Upcoming railway line connecting Srinagar with the plains will have the world’s tallest as well as India’s highest railway bridge. An expert team of the Railway Board has approved the alignment of the latter recently.

Safety norms forced the Railways to stop implementation of the major stretches of the Katra-Qazigund part of the prestigious project. Later, it was reviewed and alignments in certain stretches were amended.

Though the alignment was cleared, but permission to the two major bridges on river Chenab and Anji nullah remained withheld for safety reasons. Last week both the bridges were cleared after experts from IIT Delhi inspected the sites.

An IIT team recently visited Reasi district and found the ongoing construction on the 359 meters high bridge fulfilling all the safety norms. This bridge is taller than the Eiffel Tower.

Located at Kauri hamlet, around 40 kms from Reasi, it is being implemented by Afcons Infrastructure Limited. Once ready it will beat surpass the record of Millau Viaduct in France that is the highest cable stayed road bridge in the world.

Prof K S Rao led the team of experts, railway sources said. Its construction was stopped on July 12, 2008, forcing Railways to appoint a seven-member team to examine the safety concerns.

The team later visited Anji bridge that, once implemented, will be country’s tallest railway bridge and also the longest span railway bridge in India. It has cleared its construction as well. Its height from the bottom of the Anji gorge will be 180 meters with a span of 2200 meters.

Railways sources said after the clearance, they will be initiating talks with Gamon India for its implementation. It had earlier been allotted the work before its implementation was stopped on safety grounds.

Raising fingers on safety norms of the track, especially the two bridges, led to a series of measures. These included engaging foreign consultants and also involving DRDO for evolving a security blueprint for safety of the wonder – the Chenab bridge.

A national project, linking Kashmir with Jammu has been a long pending dream of the policy makers in Delhi. While Jammu is already linked with Udhampur, caving in of certain tunnels delayed the start of the Udhampur-Katra stretch that is otherwise ready.

The rest of the track has two sections, one connecting south Kashmir Qazigund with north Kashmir Baramulla which is functional for over a year now. Completion of the Qaigund-Katra section will complete the project but will take many more years and lot of money.

Sources in the railways said the major tunnel that is connecting Qazigund with Banihal is nearing completion. It is being implemented by the HCC.

 

[SpArK]

 

[rubyjackass]

Hmm... How come nobody is interested in this railway?