In about two years, there will be a structure over the Chenab river in Jammu & Kashmir, which can only be honestly described as an engineering marvel.Over the river will stand the world’s tallest railway bridge – one that is taller than even the Eiffel Tower.
The bridge is being built to connect Katra and Banihal in the region, which is part of a 111-km stretch. This in turn will be crucial to the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project.
The official Twitter account for the Ministry of Railways also released additional information on the bridge, which is slated to cost ₹1,100 crores to complete.
#TransformingIndia A rail bridge taller than the Eiffel Tower over the Chenab https://t.co/e8GSUDj40S pic.twitter.com/ttqi5FKPpp
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) May 3, 2017
The bridge will be 359 m above the river bed and will span 1.315 km in length. The authorities will be using 24,000 tonnes of steel in order to build it and once completed it will be able to withstand extremely high speed winds that can reach up to 260kmph.
Nothing has been compromised in order to ensure the security and the safety of the bridge. For instance, the steel that has been used, which is 63mm thick, is blast-proof and the pillars that hold the bridge upright can also withstand explosions. These are key additions that have been made keeping in mind the volatile nature of the region that is prone to terror attacks. As of right now, authorities have noted that it will be completed and functional by 2019.
A senior Railway Ministry official, part of the project, has been quoted by The Hindu as saying, “The construction of the bridge is the most challenging part of the Kashmir rail link project and once completed, it will be an engineering marvel.”
Officials will also be installing online monitoring, additional security measures and a warming system to make sure this structure stands tall for years to come.
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