CHENAB BRIDGE

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/watch-railways-successful-trial-run-on-world-s-highest-chenab-rail-bridge-124062100230_1.html

Context: The Indian Railways achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting a trial run across the newly constructed Chenab Rail Bridge.

Chenab Rail Bridge

• The Chenab Rail Bridge, located between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, aimed at integrating the Kashmir Valley with India's national rail network.
• Height and Dimensions:
  • Height: 359 metres above the Chenab River, making it the world's highest rail bridge.
  • Length: 1,315 metres
  • Arch Span: 467 metres; Arch Length: 480 metres.
• Technical Specifications:
  • Design: A single-arch steel bridge with concrete-filled trusses to withstand wind forces and seismic activity up to magnitude 8 on the Richter scale.
  • Construction Materials: Special steel designed to be blast-proof, ensuring structural integrity and safety.
• Project History and Timeline:
  • Project Approval: Declared a national project in December 2004.
  • Construction Challenges: Faced delays and safety concerns, halting work in September 2008 and restarting in August 2010.
  • Completion: Inaugurated in August 2022, with track laying completed by March 2023.
• Significance:
  • Engineering Feat: Overcame challenging Himalayan terrain, constructing 63 kilometres of tunnels and 7.5 kilometres of bridges.
  • Connectivity: Integrates Kashmir Valley with the broader Indian rail network, enhancing socio-economic development and tourism.
  • Tourist Attraction: Expected to draw visitors for its engineering marvel and scenic location.

Chenab River

• The Chenab River is one of the major rivers of the Punjab region, flowing through India and Pakistan. It plays a significant role in agriculture, hydroelectric power generation, and historical narratives in the region.
• Origin: Formed by the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers in the Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh. These headwaters originate in the Himalayas.
• Course: Flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India, then enters Punjab, Pakistan, where it joins the Indus River.
• Hydropower Potential: The Chenab River is extensively used for hydropower generation.
  • Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project
  • Salal Dam
  • Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant
  • Ratle Hydroelectric Plant
  • Pakal Dul Dam
  • Kiru and Kishtwar Hydroelectric Power Projects
• Indus Waters Treaty: Governed by the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, this allocates the Chenab’s waters to Pakistan for irrigation and India for non-consumptive uses like power generation.
  • India is permitted to store up to 1.2 million acre-feet of water under the treaty's provisions.

Must Read Articles:

INDUS WATER TREATY

Source:

The Times of India

DDNEWS

Wikipedia

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements: 1. It originates in the upper Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh. 2. The Chenab Rail Bridge stands taller than the Eiffel Tower. 3. The Chenab River is the largest tributary of the river Indus. 4. The Chenab Rail Bridge is recognized as the world’s highest railway bridge. How many of the above statements are correct? A) Only one B) Only two C) Only three D) All four Answer: D Explanation: