April 25, 2019

Marvels on Horizon: Railways is pushing through tough & challenging terrains to provide nationwide connectivity From tallest railway bridge over Chenab to first vertical lift bridge at Pamban, India is set to witness some of the best engineering marvels

The national transporter is at present constructing three significant railway bridges that will not only connect remote areas but also serve to be tourist destinations for their engineering uniqueness.

Indian Railways set to get new engineering marvels! Even as it focuses on enhancing passenger experience both in trains and at the railway stations, Indian Railways is also ramping up infrastructure, connecting several parts of the country including those with tough and challenging terrains. The national transporter is at present constructing three significant railway bridges that will not only connect remote areas but also serve to be tourist destinations for their engineering uniqueness. From the world’s highest railway bridge – Chenab bridge to the country’s first vertical lift bridge – Pamban bridge, India is all set to witness some of the best engineering marvels of the world. Take a look:

Chenab Bridge:  The world’s highest, Chenab bridge is being built in Jammu and Kashmir at a height of 359 metres above the waters of the Chenab river. Interestingly, this arch bridge will be taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The bridge forms a crucial link in the railway line between Katra and Banihal, a part of Kashmir Railway project’s Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla section. Considering the terrorism-prone region where the bridge is being built, 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel is being used for the project. The bridge, which is being developed at a cost of around Rs 12,000 crore, is likely to be complete by the end of this year.

New Pamban Bridge:  Another big infrastructure project, the new Pamban bridge is going to be Indian Railways first vertical lift bridge over the sea. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for this project. The new Pamban bridge will be 2.05 km long and will be developed at a cost of Rs 250 crore. The bridge will have as many as 100 spans of 18.3 metre steel girder and one navigational span of 72.5 metre. The viaduct, which will be 3 metre higher than the existing bridge will be able to support double railway line. Currently, the movement of trains is controlled manually, however, the new Pamban bridge will support electro-mechanical controlled systems.

Bridge Number 164 in the North-East:  The world’s tallest girder railway bridge, known as Bridge No 164 in the Himalayan ranges is likely to be launched this year, enhancing connectivity across Northeast. It is being constructed across the valley of river Ijai near Noney, designed to take a maximum train speed of 120 kmph. The bridge will have a pier height of 141 metres, almost twice as high as Qutab Minar. The girder bridge is a part of the upcoming 111 km long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal rail line. The bridge which is likely to help Indian Railways in crucial freight movement is designed to carry up to 25 ton axle-load freight trains as well. Last year, Saibaba, Chief Engineer Construction, Northeast Frontier Railway told Financial Express Online that the railway line is expected to be complete by 2020, while the girder bridge will be ready by this year.