About Chenab Rail Bridge -
The Chenab Rail Bridge, built in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, is the tallest railway bridge in the world at 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the riverbed and 1315 metres (4,314 feet) in length. It is taller than the Eiffel Tower and Statues like Statue Of Unity (world's tallest statue).
The Ministry of Railways announced that the bridge in northern India, will be open to the public by the end of December 2023 or the beginning of January 2024.
This bridge uses 25,000 tonnes of steel, which is more than three times as much as was utilised to construct the Eiffel Tower.
Kashmir's connection to the rest of India -
By enabling all-weather rail connectivity between the valley and the rest of India, it is claimed that connecting Kashmir with the rest of India by train will notably benefit the region's industrial and agricultural sectors.
Previously, the 300 kilometer (185 mile) Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which is regularly the scene of car accidents and closed for part of the winter, was the only land route connecting the Indian-controlled portions of Kashmir with the rest of the nation.
According to Anil Kumar Mehendru, vice president of the New Kashmir Fruit Association, "We are getting a lot of problems going across the road." "This industry, both agriculture and fruit, will get a big boost once we are connected by train with the rest of India."
More about Chenab Rail Bridge -
The most challenging and remote terrain was used to build the bridge. The construction of the bridge without disrupting the river's flow presented one of the largest problems.
To get to the bridge's foundations, five-kilometer-long approach roads were built. The bridge's deck is situated on a transition curve with a variable radius. As a result, construction was done in phases after the alignment gradually changed. This is the first instance of a bridge being built on a transition curve progressively.
Derricks and cable cranes were employed to build the bridge. One of the largest cable cranes in the world was utilised for the project.
Railways intends to put sensors on the bridge to measure wind speed. The signal on the railway track will turn red and all train movement will be stopped if the wind speed surpasses 90 Kmph. The bridge will have a lifespan of 120 years and can resist winds of up to 260 Kmph, according to officials.
The arch bridge is being built so that, in addition to blasts, it can resist an earthquake with a Richter scale magnitude of 8. It should be mentioned that the bridge is being constructed to withstand earthquakes with an intensity of zone 5, which is the greatest intensity zone in the nation, even if it sits under zone 4.
For purposes of inspection and maintenance, a ropeway is also being erected on the bridge. 22 km of new roads were built by the Railway to get to the bridge location. Reports state that walks and bike tracks will also be built next to the railway bridge.
