USBRL Project | Major works on India’s first cable stayed rail bridge in Reasi completed

Jammu, Oct 30: Major works viz., ancillary viaduct, central embankment and final stressing of cables were completed on India’s 1st cable-stayed Anji Khad bridge in Reasi district of J&K.

As per Northern railway officials, presently, the work related to ballast-retainer is underway and this will be followed by track-laying work very soon.

“Our bridge has almost been completed. Work on one slab was under way. For another slab, concrete work was to be completed in three stages. All three stages (concrete work) have been completed. From the other side also, a 38-meter span has been completed. Work of 96 cables and their stressing work too have been accomplished,” a senior Northern Railway official told media persons in Reasi.

“The work on the ballast-retainer follows after checking the final stressing. Presently this work (manufacturing of ballast-retainer) is underway. Once it gets completed, it will be followed by track-laying and then we can say it is ready for commencement of rail services,” he stated.

The bridge over Anji river- a tributary of Chenab, being constructed at a cost of over Rs 400 Cr, is designed with a total 96 cables— 48 cables each on lateral and central spans.

Northern Railway had completed the laying of all 96 cables of Anji Khad bridge, being constructed as part of USBRL project, in April this year. Cable strands were installed in a record period of 11 months from June 2022 to April 2023 despite constraints.

Officially speaking, the cables totally weigh 848.7 metric tonnes with the total length of cable strands involved running into 653 kilometres.

The total length of the bridge is 725 metres, which includes a 473- metre-long asymmetric cable-stayed bridge, balanced on the axis of a central pylon at 193 metres height from the top of the foundation, standing at a height of 331 metres (nearly 77 storeys) above the river-bed.

Chenab bridge, Anji bridge and various tunnels are the major components of the USBRL project.

Earlier on October 13 also, the officials, while briefing General Manager (GM) Northern Railway Shobhan Chaudhuri during his inspection of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project had stated that track linking on Anji cable stay bridge would commence by November this year after completion of fine-tuning works.

Officials had informed Chaudhuri that in spite of all types of geological, topographical and meteorological challenges, work on the remaining portion of (USBRL project) was in full swing. “Every day, Indian Railway is edging closer to connecting Kashmir valley to the rest of the railway network,” they had added.