NewsGate Press Network

By Vineet Dikshit

September 2022 is the deadline to complete the world’s highest railway bridge over the river Chenab that will eventually connect Kashmir valley to the rest of India.

And going by the speed at which it is being constructed the entire Jammu-Baramulla rail line is most likely to be become operational before January 2024.

The central government has already marked this project as a ‘national project’ in view of its significance for the entire nation.

IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee, Geographical Survey of India and DRDO had extended their expertise in the project right from its planning stage and their expert teams are reported to be camping at various locations along the project’s route to see its implementation.

This route will also see the construction of the world’s highest railway bridge and India’s first cable-stayed Railway Bridge.

The construction of the first three phases of the railway project has been completed and the line is operational between Banihal – Baramulla in Kashmir Valley and Jammu-Udhampur-Katra in Jammu region.

Besides, work on the intervening 111 km of the Katra-Banihal section is going on which is the most challenging portion for construction due to its geology and extensive Riverine system with deep gorges.

The Jammu to Katra and Banihal to Baramulla rail line is already operational while the track from, Katra to Banihal is yet to be completed.
The main tunnel of T-49, the longest tunnel of Indian Railways, between Sumber and Arpinchala station of the Katra-Banihal section of the Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) is fully integrated and has been tested to become operational.

The Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest rail bridge is designed to absorb earthquake shocks up to the magnitude eight on the Richter Scale.