The balance work on Katra end of 111 km Katra-Banihal section of Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project will be completed by December, 2022.
Presently the balance work on Katra end is 38m span of MA1 and CA2, which is under fabrication.
This was revealed by the project executives during a briefing to the Chairman and CEO, Railway Board Vinay Kumar Tripathi as he inspected the ongoing works on Katra-Banihal (111 Km) section of USBRL project in Jammu & Kashmir on September 9 and 10.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Northern Railway Deepak Kumar, in an official statement, mentioned that the inspection started from tunnel T-1 ( 3159m) and the tunnel excavation of 1860 m was completed from portal P1 end and 1039 m completed from P2 end.
“Now, the balance excavation is only 260 m. Due to the main boundary thrust location, the progress is very slow. Tunnel excavation requires a lot of pre-support measures and also post excavation support systems. Executing agency was advised to complete balance excavation of 260 meters expeditiously by augmenting resources. Northern Railway /Konkan Railway Corporation Limited were directed to closely monitor the progress,” Kumar said, while giving details about the briefing by project executives to the Chairman Railway Board (CRB).
After Tunnel T-1, inspection continued with run through in already completed tunnel T-2 having length of 5090 m of main tunnel and parallel escape tunnel of length 5072m. BLT work in this tunnel was in progress and nearly 2.5 km of HBL (Hydraulically bonded layer) was already laid, Tripathi was briefed by the project executives.
After T-2, the Chairman inspected Anji bridge (Katra end), which is Indian Railway’s first Cable stayed bridge having a total length of 725m. Anji bridge has a single main pylon of height 193 m from foundation top and 331 m above the river bed.
At Katra end of this bridge, construction of MA1 abutment substructure was in progress and 9 m has been cast out of 22.3m height. Project executives informed that only balance work on Katra end was 38m span of MA1 and CA2, which was under fabrication and would be launched by December, 2022.
Later Tripathi also inspected the Reasi end of Anji bridge. According to project executives, sub-structure has been completed and super structure launching and erection is under way. 249 m out of 473 m deck has been erected which includes launching of 6 segments using Derrick (segment launcher). Project executives informed that launching of 3 segments (i.e., 30 m) in a month was being achieved and all efforts were being made to expedite the same.
