The bridge across the Chenab River will reduce the journey between Baramulla and Jammu to six hours.
Indian constructors are working in the Himalayas on the construction of the tallest railway bridge in the world. When works will be completed, in 2016, the bridge is estimated to be 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower (324 m). Konkan Company, a subsidiary of Indian Railways, dealing with the development of the project estimates the costs required by works at USD 92 Million. Works have been assigned to Afcons India Private, while companies from Norway and Finland have been consulted for the development of the whole project.
Arched shaped steel structure, the first such structure in India, is built across the Chenab River to connect two absolutely spectacular mountain regions, Jammu and Kashmir. The total length of the bridge will be 1.3km long and the life expectancy is estimated at 120 years.
359m tall, this bridge will surpass the bridge built across the Beipanjiang River in the Chinese province of Guizhou, so far considered the tallest railway bridge in the world. Constructors estimate the bridge will require 25,000 tonnes of steel, 4,000 tonnes of reinforced steel, 46,000 cubic meters of concrete, while necessary excavations will amount to 8 million cubic meters.
The steel has been chosen as the main construction material as it is less expensive and can resist to temperatures of -200C. The bridge is designed to resist wind speeds of over 260 km/h and, due to the intense seismic area, constructors have carried out detailed tests. The Jammu – Kashmir region is the scene of frequent terrorist attacks and, in order to increase security, constructors will use a special type of steel 63mm thick that can withstand explosions. The concrete pillars of the bridge are designed to withstand explosions too. For an improved security, the bridge will be supervised through an air-level monitoring system. An on-line monitoring and warning system will operate permanently to protect the passengers and the trains from potential critical conditions.
The bridge across the Chenab River will reduce the journey between Baramulla and Jammu to six hours, almost half the time it now takes to travel between the two Indian provinces. Moreover, the new bridge will help develop the economy of the Jammu – Kashmir region, while easing transport between the region and the rest of the country.
The Chenab Bridge is part of a complex project, Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway, launched by the Indian Ministry of Railways in order to facilitate access in the Jammu – Kashmir region. Consequently, the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway, with a length of 345km, will increase the mobility level of citizens and will consolidate connections with the rest of the Indian territory.
by Elena Ilie
Share on:
