Its magnificent arch is higher than the Eiffel Tower and the bridge would be the tallest railway bridge in the world
The rail bridge under construction by Indian Railways (IR) between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on the river Chenab, known as the Chenab bridge, has become part of engineering folklore of the country. This magnificent arch bridge has become a symbol of a resurgent India, not merely because it is identified as the mainstay for seamless railway connectivity to the Kashmir valley. Its magnificent arch, which is far higher than the tip of the Eiffel Tower, and the fact that it would be the tallest rail bridge in the world, has come to proudly embody the skill and proficiency of Indian engineers.
Hailed repeatedly as an ‘infrastructure marvel in making’ by a series of railway ministers and government/IR functionaries, the bridge has a chequered history. We have been hearing about this bridge for nearly two decades. It was originally intended to be completed in 2009 but the project was halted in 2008 as its stability came into question. After re-examination of the issue, construction was restarted and since then the date of completion has been regressing, from the initial 2015 to 2021 till last year itself. As all these targets were miscarried, and yet IR continued to extoll the enormity of the project in the media, a feeling of cynical and sneaky déjà vu among public at large had started becoming palpable. A signature project was in the danger of becoming a victim of its overhyped narrative.
The light at the end of the tunnel is now visible. The imposing steel arch of the bridge across the river Chenab has finally been completed. Not with standing various delays in the way, this event in itself is a big achievement and a firm step forward to achieve the dream of linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
There is not an iota of doubt that this project task required great engineering skills right from design to fabrication to erection etc. The task of construction of the bridge has also been in the same league. The bridge is the most challenging and fascinating structure of Udhampur- Srinagar- Baramulla rail link project. The steel arch bridge, amidst Hills of mighty Himalayas engorging the serpentine Chenab river is indeed a symbol of technical excellence of Indian Engineers. It is 1315 metre long with, with an arch span of 467 meter and stands 359 metre high above the river. At both end of the arch, there is viaduct portion and the complete configuration of the bridge is a compound and complex structure. Over the central arch, there are eleven steel piers supporting 10 spans of 48 m. The steel pier at Katra end foundation of arch itself is about 120 metre tall. Besides the arch, the other most challenging task has been to build two foundations for the arch, which required massive specialised soil /rock strengthening work in the young Himalayan region.
Apart from being the highest rail bridge in the world, it has many firsts to its credit.The bridge can withstand wind speeds of over 266 kmph, an unprecedented feat. The bridge falls under seismic zone IV, but designed for earthquake forces corresponding to zone V. This work involved approximately 30,000 MT high quality steel fabrication and sophisticated launching scheme. The entire fabrication of steel work is being done at a special fabrication workshop established at site. The launching of the arch segments was done with the help of a specially-designed wire rope crane and after fixing every piece of arch and the cantilever arch was tied with wire ropes to hold them in position, till the last central piece was inserted in position.
The bridge is designed for a service life of more than a century with trains to ply on it at 100 kmph. At this speed, a train would take less than a minute to pass over the entire bridge; those who would travel on a train negotiating this bridge would have this much time to wonder at a spectacle; it might have taken more than decade to build but they would certainly marvel at this bridge bearing mute testimony to the significance of modern technology coupled with human endeavour in improving human existence.
While the numerous prorogations in completion of the project can be criticized but not all delays were avoidable, rooted in any inefficiency or procrastination. Many of them were beyond the control of project engineers andcontractors, like various PILs regarding alignment of the project, ban on sand mining in Jammu and Kashmir and adverse situations due to Covid-19 pandemic.
There will be many daunting challenges in future as well for IR’s Bridge engineers and management, once the bridge is opened for rail traffic. Some of the challenges foreseen after opening of the bridge are: Inspection and health monitoring of bridge due to its inaccessibility, particularly in high wind and possible seismic activities, periodic painting of the bridge during its life, avoidance of any train derailment/ accident over the bridge as any restoration work at that height would be a near-impossible task and protection against natural disasters. In addition, this would be a big target for terrorists and this would require very close coordination with local administration. It is hoped that appropriate equipment andtechnology for its regular inspection and condition-monitoring,maintenance,and contingent plans, would be in place before commissioning of the project.
As of now the Chenab bridge and other missing links of the project are in advance stages of completion. Besides improving the lives of populations living on the either side of the river in the Kashmir valley, it will help to open new vistas of development of the region. The rail link, in any case, is going to have its own strategic importance.
It will also be worthwhile to preserve and consolidate the lessons learnt and the expertise gained in the project and as the same would be of immense use in future projects as our country marches on the path of development. The confidence that IR engineers in particular, and engineers in general, gain form this project would undoubtedly propel them to excel themselves in coming days.
The celebrations and felicitations should be withheld till the completion of the project, once the project is completed there would be ample opportunities for IR to pat itself on its back, and rightfully so. Till then, we must wait with proud but restrained optimism.
(Gupta is a retired Member (Engineering), Indian Railways and Mani is a retired General Manager, Indian Railways. Both are independent rail consultants. The views expressed are personal.)
