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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

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