KATRA, Mar 22:
Describing the highest bridge of the world, being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir, as fully safe and strong, Konkan Railway Corporation Limited Chief Managing Director Sanjay Gupta said today that the train service will not be affected even if a portion of it is blasted off.
The bridge is part of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, which has been declared of national importance. Addressing a news conference here, Mr Gupta said the bridge is blast proof. It can withstand even 40 tonnes TNT of explosives and an earthquake of 8.5 intensity on the Richter scale.
Blast load technique has been used in the design of bridge for the first time. The train service will not be affected even when a portion of the bridge is blasted off because it will have welded decks. It is designed to withstand a wind speed of 266 km/h. The quality of the bridge is being checked at five levels. Giving full guarantee of the security of the bridge, the top official said, “I am 110 per cent sure of its safety.
I will be the first person to travel on the bridge. During hearing of a PIL regarding the safety of the bridge, Railway Board has responded that it is absolutely safe.” Mr Gupta said the most challenging part of the entire project, the bridge, has been targeted to be completed by 2019.
Marvel of designing and engineering, height of the bridge will be 359 meter from the river bed level while its total length will be 1315 m. Help of foreign experts has been taken in the designing of this single arch bridge. Base of the arch is almost half of size of footfall ground.
Mr Gupta said it will be the centre of tourists’ attraction. Currently the world’s highest rail bridge is located over France’s Trance river at a height of 300m. Adjoining lands of the Chenab bridge have been purchased for construction of hotels and other activities.
He said during current financial year upto February 2016 expenditure on the bridge was Rs 422 crore while cumulative expenditure was Rs 2,829 crore. Almost 1,100 workers, including some foreign experts, are toiling day and night to complete the signature bridge. Chief Engineer of the project, Gopal Raju, told visiting journalists at the project site that the bridge will be painted in olive green colour so that it gets camouflaged with surrounding green landscape in view of security reasons.
Mr Raju said the life of the paint will be 35 years. He said there will be warning system on both sides of the bridge. In case of an emergency, the train will stop automatically. Although the entire 326 kms long railway line from Jammu to Baramulla would be single line, it will be double for the bridge to fulfil future requirements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and senior officials of the Railway Ministry are monitoring the progress of construction through high powered CCTV cameras fitted on project site. (UNI)
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