Railways completes arch bottom of tallest Chenab Bridge

Indian Railways has completed the arch bottom of the world's tallest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, a steel and concrete arch bridge currently under construction between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The next part of the construction is the upper arch. The Railways is planning to install sensors on the bridge to check wind velocity. In case wind speeds exceed 90 kmph, the signal on the railway track will turn red, stopping any train movement. 

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working with the Indian Railways to ensure that the Rs.120 billion bridge is able to withstand major blasts. Special 63 mm thick blast-proof steel is being used in the construction of the bridge. The concrete pillars of this bridge are also designed such that they can withstand blasts or explosions. Consultants from Germany and Finland have designed the bridge. The arch bridge is designed to withstand an earthquake of magnitude eight on the Richter Scale. Even though the bridge falls under Zone 4, it is being built to handle earthquakes with an intensity of Zone 5, the country's highest intensity zone.

Excavation and earthwork amounting to 1.003 million cu m are complete and all the foundation work for the bridge and substructures have been done. Also, all fabrication works for the piers, trestles and arch have been completed. 

Around 15,593 mt of steel structures out of a total of 27,051 mt have been placed in position.

The launch of a 490 m deck on the transition and circular curve from the Kauri end has been achieved, while 88 per cent work of the main arch is complete. The 25 km Udhmapur-Katra, 18 km Banihal-Quazigund and 118 km Quazigund-Baramulla sections have already been commissioned. The remaining section, the 111 km Katra-Banihal section, is currently under execution. It is targeted to be completed in December 2022. Of 174 km of tunnels, 126 km on this section have been completed.