In the midst of the mighty Himalayas in Indian-administered Kashmir lies the world’s highest railway bridge.
The bridge over the Chenab River – 1,315-metre-long (4,314 ft) and 359-metre-high (1,177 ft) from the mattress of the river – will hyperlink the distant area with India’s huge railway community by offering all-weather connectivity.
On the peak of the winter, a big a part of the disputed area is reduce off from the remainder of India.
The bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, lies between the villages of Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi district of the southern Jammu space of Kashmir.
Constructed at a value of $168m, the bridge is a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Hyperlink venture (USBRL), which can join the area’s foremost metropolis of Srinagar with mainland India by rail networks on which work began in 1999.
Engineering marvel
The arch bridge, product of 28,000 tonnes of metal, is taken into account an engineering marvel as it’s inbuilt an space liable to excessive seismic exercise. The tough and uneven terrain additionally sees frequent landslides and harsh climate circumstances.
The 119km-long (73 miles) railway venture includes 38 tunnels and 931 bridges having a mixed size of 13km (8 miles) to make the railway hyperlink doable.
Previous to its building, the engineers needed to make a 26km (19 miles) strategy highway and a 400-metre-long (1,300 ft) tunnel to succeed in the positioning of the bridge.
Whereas inspecting the completion of the bridge final month, Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s railway minister, conceded that it was probably the most tough engineering problem for the division.
“This bridge and the opposite tunnels have been tough as a result of this entire space is very seismic inclined space. To strengthen it from any seismic exercise particular strengthening expertise has been used,” the minister mentioned.
Misgivings over the much-delayed venture have been addressed when the minister mentioned the railway connectivity to Srinagar shall be accomplished by December this yr or January subsequent yr.
Nature’s pristine magnificence acts as an ideal backdrop for this glorious engineering feat.
📍Chenab Bridge, Reasi- Jammu & Kashmir 🌁#NayeBharatKiNayiRail pic.twitter.com/QymhBHLxxQ
— Darshana Jardosh (@DarshanaJardosh) April 26, 2023
The bridge, official paperwork say, has been constructed to resist robust winds and high-magnitude earthquakes.
It took 20 years for hundreds of staff and lots of of engineers to finish the feat.
“This venture has been probably the most daunting work undertaken by post-independence Indian Railways,” an engineer engaged on the venture advised Al Jazeera.
He didn’t disclose his title as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
“The completion of the bridge additionally exhibits huge development in India’s engineering expertise,” he added.
Lengthy-awaited connectivity
There isn’t any direct rail hyperlink between the Kashmir Valley and mainland India.
The present railway line working by the valley carries native passengers from the area’s Baramulla district within the north to Banihal in Ramban district of the Jammu space.
The brand new rail bridge will join Kashmir Valley with Katra in Jammu, decreasing the journey time by 5 to 6 hours from Katra to Srinagar.
It’s due to this fact a vital a part of the Indian Railways venture to attach the valley with the remainder of India, which is to date depending on highway networks.
The Srinagar-Jammu freeway which is the one highway connectivity between Kashmir and mainland India is usually blocked as a result of heavy snowfall throughout winters, landslides and avalanches. Visitors on the route will get caught for days, making individuals and commerce endure.
The treacherous highway liable to accidents has additionally claimed many lives. Final yr, at the least 648 highway accidents befell on the highway, resulting in 93 deaths, in accordance with the info from the federal Ministry of Highway Transport and Highways.
Inch by inch, traversed the big Chenab!
Catch a glimpse of the timeline of the construction that stands tall now because the fruits of a long time of growth: the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/3ItpylIltR— JAMMU LINKS NEWS (@JAMMULINKS) April 20, 2023
Native residents say that individuals from completely different elements of India go to the positioning to see the bridge.
“This bridge gave employment to many locals who labored there for years. It has change into a vacationer spot,” Gulzar Khan, 36, a resident of Khurru village in Reasi, advised Al Jazeera.
Javed Ahmad Tenga, head of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), a union of merchants within the area, advised Al Jazeera the rail connectivity will propel the area’s commerce.
“The costs of transportation of products will cut back. This can profit the enterprise neighborhood. By highway, it takes a number of time for issues to succeed in right here. It is going to strengthen the fruit enterprise as effectively,” Tenga mentioned.
Native apprehensions
Nonetheless, many Kashmiris worry the prepare connectivity would assimilate the disputed area additional into mainland India. They worry the venture would have an effect on the demography of India’s solely Muslim-majority area.
The fears stem from the 2019 abrogation of Kashmir’s restricted autonomy by the Hindu nationalist authorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and bringing it beneath New Delhi’s direct management.
Among the many many modifications the transfer introduced was permitting non-Kashmiris to completely settle within the area and begin companies.
“This railway will facilitate connectivity however we’re additionally fearful that there shall be a rush of non-locals to the area. Anybody who needs to come back right here will board the prepare,” mentioned Khursheed Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar.
Final month, the federal government advised the parliament that 185 non-locals had purchased land in Kashmir whereas 1,559 firms had invested within the area.
In 2020, just one non-local had purchased land within the area, in accordance with authorities information.
Being one of the militarised areas on this planet, enhanced railway connectivity may also rework the safety state of affairs with simple mobilisation of provides, troops and gear.
“The prepare will assist in bringing logistics and shares for the military to Kashmir,” DS Hooda, former northern commander of the Indian Military, advised Al Jazeera.
Kashmiri tutorial and political analyst Siddiq Wahid mentioned the railway connectivity would imply higher management over the area.
“This can assist economically little question. Definitely, ecologically trains are higher than roads. Connectivity shall be an enormous help to New Delhi by way of management. I believe that’s their ambition,” he advised Al Jazeera.
