RAIL LINK TO VALLEY

RAIL LINK TO KASHMIR VALLEY
 NOTE  - THIS POST IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION


Its my dream to travel in this train when commissioned  from Delhi to Srinagar. The journey will surely be fascinating







SRINAGAR: The rail-link from Banihal to Katra, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, would be completed by 2020, railway officials



"The work on the Banihal to Katra stretch is going on and we are hopeful of completing it by 2020," general manager, northern Railways, AK Puthia told reporters.

110 km stretch was the most difficult part of the rail-link which connects Baramulla in north Kashmir with Udhampur in Jammu.

"About 85 per cent of the track is made of tunnels. There are 25 tunnels in this stretch, of which around 35 per cent has been completed,"


the track would also have the world's longest and highest railway bridge. "It will be 359 metres high and will have a span of 467 metres. The bridge is expected to be completed by 2017,"


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NDTV VIDEO
http://www.ndtv.com/video/news/news/konkan-railways-promise-chenab-rail-bridge-of-j-k-to-be-safe-against-terror-strike-408754



CHENAB BRIDGE

Chenab Bridge is an under-construction rail bridge, located between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India. The 1,315m-long bridge is being built at a height of 359m. Once completed, it will be the tallest rail bridge in the world.

The INR5.12bn ($92m) bridge is a part of Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL) project being undertaken by the Ministry of Indian Railways. The bridge will include a 14m-wide dual carriageway and a 1.2m-wide central verge.

The project is expected to be finished by March 2016 and will have a lifespan of 120 years. It will contribute to the economic development of the state and help in providing better transportation accessibility within the state and the country.

It will be 359 metres high and will have a span of 467 metres making it the highest railway bridge in the world. The bridge is expected to be completed by 2017.

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ANIMATION OF CONSTRUCTION METHOD


















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J & K Project Brief

1. Background :

With a view to provide an alternative and a reliable transportation system to Jammu & Kashmir, Govt. of India planned a 345 km. long Railway Line joining the Kashmir Valley with the Indian Railways network. The Project has been declared as a Project of National Importance in March 2002.

2. The Jammu-Udhampur-Katra-Quazigund-Baramulla Railway line is the biggest project in the construction of a mountain railway since independence. From Jammu to Baramulla, length of the new rail line is 345 km. It passes through the young Himalayas, tectonic thrusts and faults. The work on Jammu-Udhampur section ( 53 Km) has been completed and opened to public by Hon’ble Prime Minister in Apr’05.

The section from Anantnag to Rajwansher (66 KM) was opened to the public by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 11/10/08.

The section from Rajwansher to Baramulla (35 KM) was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by the Hon’ble Chairperson of UPA Smt. Sonia Gandhi on 14.02.09.

The section from Quazigund to Anantnag (18 km) was opened to the public by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 28/10/09

The work is in various stages of progress in the balance length from Udhampur to Quazigund.

3. Scope of Work :

The length from Udhampur to Baramulla is 292 km and has been divided into three sections, details of which are as under.

Item	Udhampur -Katra	Katra- Qazigund	Qazigund -Baramulla
Route length( km)	25	129*	119
Bridges	38	62	811
Tunnels Length( km)	10.90	103.00	0
Max height of bridge (m)	85	359	22
Longest tunnel( km)	3.15	10.96	-
stations	3	10+1	15

*As per revised alignment

4. Salient Features :

This project has various special & unique features and several firsts in Indian Railways.

Item	Udhampur-Katra	Katra-Quazigund	Quazigund-Baramulla
Max Curvature	2.75o	2.75o	2.75o
Max. height of Bridge	85 m	359 m	22 m
Longest span	154m Steel Girder over river Jhajjar	467 m Steel Arch over river Chenab	45 m
Longest tunnel	3.15 km.	10.96 km	-
Max Depth of Cutting	20 m	40 m	12 m

5. This project is, perhaps, the most difficult new railway line project undertaken on Indian subcontinent. The terrain passes through young Himalayas, which are full of geological surprises and numerous problems. For execution purpose, project has been divided into 3 sub-sections. Construction activities are in progress on Udhamur-Katra, Katra-Quazigund and Quazigund-Srinagar-Baramulla section of the project. Katra-Qazigund leg is the most difficult stretch of this project. The alignment of this stretch which is 129 Km long, passes through Patni and Pir Panjal ranges.

This alignment requires construction of 62 important/major bridges / minor bridges. The alignment also requires, interalia, construction of 35 no. of tunnels, totaling to a length of 103 kms bringing the percentage of the total length of the alignment on tunnels to approx. 80%.

6.0 Present Status of the Project:

6.1 For the ease of execution, the  work has been sub-divided into the following three legs :-

Leg -1 :   Udhampur-Katra ( 25 Km)

Leg -2  :  Katra-Qazigund (129KM)

Leg -3  :  Qazigund –Baramulla (Km 119 )

The progress of work in these different sections of the new line is given as under:

6.2 Leg -1:- Udhampur- Katra ( 25 km)

Executing Agency : Northern Railway

Udhampur-Katra section is 25 km long and involves about 11 km of tunneling, 9 important/ major bridges, 29 minor bridges and 10 ROB/RUBs in addition to about 38.86 lac cum of earthwork. The approx. cost of this stretch is Rs. 928 cr. The tallest bridge in this section is 85m high ( Br. No. 20) and the longest tunnel is 3.15 km long. All the tunneling as well as bridge works have been completed. However, problem of squeezing and swelling was faced in tunnel (T-1) due to expansive soil conditions, after completion of tunnel boring work. To tackle this problem, Railway has engaged the services of M/s RITES- Geo-Consult (a joint venture between M/s RITES and M/s Geo-Consult, an internationally renowned tunnel consultancy firm based in Austria). The consultant has given the revised scheme of construction of a new diversion tunnel. The work for construction of diversion tunnel has been awarded in Jan 2010 and contrac. The target for this leg has been revised to December, 2011.

6.3 Leg -2 :- Katra-Qazigund ( 148 km)
This leg is the toughest section, full of tunnels and bridges/ viaducts, that has been constructed on the Indian Railways. It is much tougher terrain than Konkan Railway. The terrain in this region is full of poor geology and faults. Tunneling and bridging is a challenge greater than that was met on Jammu-Udhampur or Udhampur-Katra section and will be a matter of pride for the engineers of Indian Railways.

The stretch between river Chenab and Banihal is passing through a virgin territory and requires construction of about 262 km of access roads. About 160 km of access roads have already been constructed. At Qazigund end of this stretch, the longest tunnel on Indian Railways is being constructed ( T-80, Pir Panjal Tunnel). This tunnel is 10.96 km long and will pierce through the Pir Panjal range below the snow line. The work on Katra-Qazigund section was started in Nov.’2002 and the present progress is about 13 percent. The engineers working on this section are facing multifarious problems due to extremely difficult and inaccessible terrain, technical problems and adverse security concerns of extremist activities in the State.

6.4 The execution of the work has been divided among three agencies as under :

(a) Northern Railway for the first 5 kms ( km 25- km 30)
(b) KRCL for the next 67 kms ( km 30- km 97)
(c) IRCON for the next 57 kms (km 97-km 154)

6.4.1 While no significant difficulties are being experienced in the portion being executed by northern Railway, but the progress of works from Km30 to Km136 had been very slow due to failures in tunnels/tunnel portals. In view of the difficulties being faced due to adverse geology in the region, Railway Board vide their letter No. 86/W2/NL/NR/25Pt.-III dt. 14.07.08. conveyed their decision to review the alignment from Katra to Banihal.

6.4.3 On Railway Board’s directions, M/s IRCON appointed an International consultant (M/s Amberg Engineering Ltd., Switzerland)in Oct 2008 for the purpose of studying the alignment and suggesting measures to improve upon the existing alignment apart from suggesting the alternate alignment.the complete and final report has been submitted in Jan 2010.


6.4.4 Railway Board also constituted an Expert Committee to review the alignment and give their expert opinion. This Committee was headed by Sh. M. Ravindra, Retd. Chairman, Railway Board. The members of the committee were eminent geologists, tunneling experts, alignment experts and civil engineers.The committee submitted its report in June 2009.


6.4.5 The committee’s report has been accepted by Railway Board and orders for recommencement of work issued on 31.8.2009. Tunnelling work in Sangaldan area re commenced with effect from 25.09.2009. Survey works, tests and studies, re-mobilization at the existing sites and the process of calling for fresh tenders etc. has been started. The first phase of this strearch between Qazigund and Banihal involving 11 km long tunnel between Pir Panjal range is expected to be ready for commissioning by March, 2012 and the entire project by 2017-18.

6.5 Leg 3 : Qazigund-Baramulla ( 119 km)

Executing Agency : IRCON

This section falls in the Kashmir Valley, which is a natural bowl, surrounded by the mountain ranges. Though there is no tunnel, heavy bridging is required across rivers, canals and roads.

The section from Anantnag to Rajwansher (66 KM) was opened to public by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 11/10/08.

The section from Rajwansher to Baramulla (35 KM) was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by the Hon’ble Chairperson of UPA Smt. Sonia Gandhi on 14.02.09.

The work from Quazigund to Anantnag ( 18 km) has been completed and commissioned on 28/10/09 by Hon’ble Prime Minister.With this commissioning the entire 119 km stretch in the valley has been made operational as a standalone system.

7.0 Time Schedule:

Latest  estimated targets dates for different sections are as under.

Item	Milestone
Completion of 11 km long tunnel through Pir Panjal Range	December, 2011
Commissioning of  Quazigund – Banihal Section	March, 2012
Commissioning of Udhampur-Katra Section	December, 2011
Commissioning of the entire project	2017-2018

8.0 Socio-economic impact of the project

(i) The completion of this project will provide an all weather and reliable connectivity to the J&K State through rest of the country by the railway network also provide connectivity by rail to far flung areas of J&K.
(ii) Construction of Access Roads – Total about 262 kms of approach roads to work sites are to be constructed. Out of which, 160 kms already constructed. With completion of approach roads, more than 73 villages will get connected, which will provide road connectivity to about 1,47,000 people, 29 villages already connected.
(iii) Employment generation – Direct employment to the local people (about 7000) and indirect employment to thousands for day to day requirement of the project personnel. This will help to mitigate militancy.
(iv) Permanent job in Railways to one of the family members, whose more than 75% of land has been acquired. Job given to 343 persons so far.

Mega Railway Bridge over River Chenab

To have a railway line connecting Udhampur to the Kashmir valley, the Chenab river need to be crossed. A mega bridge over river Chenab (1.315 km long) has been planned near Salal village. This bridge will have a steel main arch to cross the Chenab gorge and a viaduct with steel girders on concrete piers. The rail height from the river bed will be 359 mts. which will make it the tallest railway bridge in the world. The main arch will have a span of 465 mts. across river Chenab which gives another distinction to this bridge being the longest single span railway arch bridge in the world.

The 1315 mts. long bridge will have 17 spans including the main arch span. The construction of this bridge would involve structural steel work of about 25000 MT and reinforcement steel of about 4000 MT. The construction will involve about 43000 cum of concrete and about 6 lac cum of excavation in rocks.

A very elaborate and comprehensive design procedure has been followed for this bridge as there is no Indian Code/Manual available for designing such mega structures. Since the bridge is over a very deep gorge, wind will have very significant effect on the stability of bridge and therefore, the modern wind tunnel tests were performed in Denmark for finalizing the design. Further, since the area is prone to terrorist attacks, the blast load has been taken into consideration for the design, for the first time on Indian Railway.

A comprehensive scheme of instrumentation for monitoring the health of the bridge has been conceptualized and information will be fully online so as to take necessary action in case of any emergency/contingency to safeguard the passengers/trains.

PIR PANJAL TUNNEL (T-80)

1.0 The Pir Panjal Tunnel is a work of Pioneering nature being the longest transport tunnel in India and may become a benchmark for more ambitious and longer transport tunnels in future. The quantum of work involves one million cum of under ground excavation. 11 Km. long tunnel is completely straight in almost N-S direction. Maximum overburden is approx. 1100m. Tunnel is at 440m lower level than road tunnel and will be much less vulnerable to snow. The single track tube has been adopted with side road for repair /emergency rescue. The clear 3m wide passage exists in the cross-section all along and extends outside the portals. Rising grade of 1% from south to the high point at Km. 159.134 followed by a falling gradient of 0.5% towards north end (for better constructability). Tunnel will be provided with properly conceived Ventilation, fire fighting and monitoring systems.

2.0 M/s. Geo-Consult RITES (JV) has been appointed as Design and Supervision Consultants for this project.

3.0 During selection of construction technology Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) was not adopted because of following :-

o Heterogeneous geology soil near portals to Trap and quartzite in middle.

o Geology, with fault zones is also encountered.

o High squeezing anticipated in the middle zone with 1100m overburden. This will be accompanied by heavy water inflow (Karst) in the lime stone.

o High initial period is required for ordering design, manufacture and commissioning.

o Retrieval of TBM’s require a large cavern which delays the final lining activity.

o No bidder was prepared to mobilize two TBM’s.

o Required advance with one TBM is three times compared to NATM / drill-and-blast.

o Non-circular section can only be achieved by enlargement in case of TBM.

4.0 Adit & Shaft : 774m adit meets the main tunnel at 2750m and isolates soft-ground. The shaft with 12m dia & 55m depth isolates 600m north-end tunnel. These will also assist in the ventilation during construction and operation.

5.0 Features of NATM design and construction Process:

Geo-technical modeling includes rock classifications and impact of construction sequence. Actual design performed in the form of supports sheet during construction by designer at site. Instrumentation and monitoring is done to observe settlement and validation of the design. The steel ribs have been eliminated and lattice girders are used. These are lighter element and allow fore poling through them providing better safety and keeping the excavation profile to close tolerances. At any stage in the installed primary lining the actual stress level is known providing a real time tool to the designer to validate his design parameters. The geo-technical model showing presence of water, faults, different rock classes. The model enables identification of favored construction method-road header, drill blast. Permanent lining is being done concurrently while excavation is still on-going so that after the final break through, the tunnel is completed in 3 months. The finished cross section has been optimized in terms of area and shape. Assessment of tunnel stability during excavation is being done. Determination is done for additional support measures and to adjust the support and excavation sequences. Monitoring of deformation rate decides casting of inner lining. Optical targets, pressure cells strain meters, and measuring anchors are used.

6.0 Geological Features:

Rock units are mainly consisting of silicified limestone, andesite and basalt, quartizite and sandstone or limestone – shale intercalations, agglomerates shale and tuffs. Portal areas are situated in fluvioglacial sediments (soft ground). The general trend of mountain range and strike direction of bedding is NW –SE. The central areas of the Pir Panjal range show a distinct folding. Contacts between rock units are often faulted. Folding is common in central areas.

7.0 Salient Features of Pir Panjal Tunnel (T-80):

o Total length – 11km
o Adit – 774m, shaft: 55m depth, 12m dia.
o Maximum overburden – 1.10km.
o Tunnel Method : NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method)
o Last estimate cost (2006) – 647 crores.
o Approx. 440m below existing Jawahar Road Tunnel (2.75km)
o Underground excavation : 10 lac cubic meter.
o Cross section Area : Excavation : 67 to 78 sqm, Finished Tunnel :48 sqm.
o Investigation Bore Holes depth upto 640m.
o 3m wide road in tunnel for maintenance emergency rescue and relief.
o High mid point and sloping in both directions for drainage
o Provision of system for ventilation, fire fighting and safety monitoring.
o Adit and shaft for parallel working, to be used for ventilation, maintenance and emergency relief during service.
o Extensive instrumentation for monitoring during tunneling.
o Consultant : M/s. Geoconsult-RITES (JV).

8.0 Many Firsts:

o The Longest Transport Tunnel In the Country (11km).
o Highest ‘Over-burden’ of 1100m.
o Deepest ‘Drill holes’ for Geotechnical Investigations 640m.
o First Large Scale use of ‘New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM)’ in India.
o First Use of ‘Road header’ for ‘Tunnel Excavation’ in Railway Tunneling.

Concrete lining Pir-Panjal Tunnel

PROJECT

Chenab Bridge is an under-construction rail bridge, located between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India. The 1,315m-long bridge is being built at a height of 359m. Once completed, it will be the tallest rail bridge in the world.

The INR5.12bn ($92m) bridge is a part of Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL) project being undertaken by the Ministry of Indian Railways. The bridge will include a 14m-wide dual carriageway and a 1.2m-wide central verge.

The project is expected to be finished by March 2016 and will have a lifespan of 120 years. It will contribute to the economic development of the state and help in providing better transportation accessibility within the state and the country.

Need for the Chenab rail bridge

"The project is expected to be finished by March 2016 and will have a lifespan of 120 years."

Travelling in and around the mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir has been a great difficulty for locals. An urgent need to provide better transportation facilities was recognised by the Government of India. Construction of a national railway project that will connect J&K with the rest of India was therefore proposed.

The JUSBRL project was launched in 2003 as part of this proposal. The 345km-long railway line between the Jammu and Baramulla regions will enhance mobility within the state and across India. The railway line will traverse along Jammu-Udhampur-Katra-Quazigund-Baramulla. Construction of the Jammu to Udhampur section was completed and opened in April 2005. Work is progressing on the Udhampur to Baramulla section.

The project includes construction of several bridges and tunnels along the route, of which Chenab Bridge is one. It is will span across the deep Chenab river and provide access to the Kashmir valley from Udhampur.

The project was suspended in 2008 due to construction challenges. The alignment of the entire JUSBRL project was reviewed to propose solutions for the challenges faced. The review work was submitted to the Railway Board and approved in 2009. The design of the bridge, however, was approved in July 2012.

Chenab Bridge design details

Chenab Bridge forms a massive steel arch, the first of its kind in India. The country has no codes or design guidance for such massive structures. Based on experiences drawn from similar projects worldwide, the design practices for the bridge are being followed.

"The 345km-long railway line between the Jammu and Baramulla regions will enhance mobility within the state and across India."

BS: 5400 is being used as the basic guideline for the design and construction of the bridge. The deep Chenab river valley under the bridge is prone to high wind pressure risking the stability of the bridge.

Norway-based Force Technology Laboratory conducted several wind tunnel tests to understand the effects of wind speed, static force coefficients and gust buffeting. The bridge is designed to resist wind speeds of up to 260kmph. The seismic nature of the project zone was also considered during its design.

The bridge will include 17 spans, as well as the 469m main arch span across the Chenab River, and viaducts on either side. The main span of the bridge will include two 36m-long approach spans. It will be built as a two ribbed arch with steel trusses made of concrete-filled sealed steel boxes. The structure will be supported by two 130m-long, 100m-high pylons on either end through cables.

Steel was chosen to construct the bridge as it will be more economical and able to resist temperatures of -20C and wind speeds of above 200kmph. The Jammu and Kashmir region witnesses frequent terrorist attacks. To enhance safety and security, the bridge will be made of 63mm-thick special blast-proof steel. The concrete pillars of the bridge are designed to withstand explosions.

A ring of aerial security will be provided to safeguard the bridge. An online monitoring and warning system will be installed on the bridge to protect the passengers and train in critical conditions. Footpaths and cycle trails will be provided adjacent to it. The bridge will be painted with a special corrosion-resistant paint, which lasts for 15 years.

Bridge construction and challenges faced

The bridge is being constructed in one of the most complicated and isolated terrains. One of the biggest challenges involved was construction of the bridge without obstructing the flow of the river. Approach roads, five kilometres in length, were constructed to reach the foundations of the bridge.

The deck of the bridge is partly in straight horizon and partly in curves. It is located on a transition curve with changing radius. Construction is therefore being carried out in stages following the gradual change in the alignment. This is the first time a bridge is being constructed incrementally on a transition curve.

Cable cranes and derrick will be used to construct the bridge. The cable cranes used for the project will be the largest in the world.

Construction of the bridge is expected to require 25,000mt of steel, 4,000mt of reinforced steel, 46,000m³ of concrete and eight million m³ of excavation.

Contractors involved in constructing the Indian bridge

Amberg Engineering was appointed to carry out review work of the alignments. Konkan Railway Corporation is executing the project. Design and construction of the bridge was awarded to a joint venture of Afcons Infrastructure, Ultra Construction & Engineering Company of South Korea and VSL India in 2004.

Finland-based WSP Group and Germany-based Leonhardt Andra and Partners are the consultants for the project. VCE Consult ZT-GmbH designed the pylons of the bridge. Jochum Andreas Seiltransporte installed the cables for the pylon. AkzoNobel was awarded the painting services contract for the bridge.

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