India's Highest Railway Bridge Flashcards
Why in News?
The ‘Golden Joint’ of Chenab Railway bridge was inaugurated on August 13, 2022. It was decked with the National flag to celebrate the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”. It is the highest railway bridge in the world. It is located in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
About the Chenab Rail Bridge
It is a steel and concrete arch bridge, constructed between Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. It has been built on Chenab River, at a height of 359 m. It is world’s highest rail bridge. Its base support was completed in November 2017, giving green signal to construction of main arch. Construction of Arch was completed in April 2021. Rail traffic is likely to start in December 2022. Important Features of the Bridge include;
Both ends of the bridge has been connected with the help of High Strength Friction Grip (HSFG) bolts. It is marked as the ‘golden joint’.
The bridge includes 93 deck segments. Each segment has a weight of 85 tonnes.
It is a part of 272-km long railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla that joins Jammu with Kashmir valley. This rail link project is known as ‘Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project’.
It has used around 30,350 tonnes of steel, including 10,620 tonnes to construct the gigantic arch and 14,500 tonnes to construct bridge deck.
It has been constructed near Kauri village upstream of Salal Dam.
This bridge is significant, because Indian Railways has constructed the bridge on a transition curve and a longitudinal gradient for the first time. Usually, bridges are built on a straight or curved platform with uniform radius. Considering the height, sophisticated automatic signalling system has been installed at both the ends. This system will not let the trains cross the bridge, in case wind speed reaches 90kmph.
CHENAB RIVER
The Chenab River (/tʃɪˈnæb/) is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh, India. The Chenab flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before ultimately flowing into the Indus River.
Indus Waters Treaty
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries.[1][2][3][4] It was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistani president Ayub Khan.
Under the treaty it is mandatory to hold a meeting at least once a year. signed between INDIA AND PAKISTAN in 1960.
INDUS, JHELUM, CHENAB - PAK80%: INDIA20%
RAVI, BEAS, SUTLEJ - 80%INDIA : 20%PAKISTAN
Meetings of permanant INDUS commission were suspended for 2 and a half years after PATHANKHOT TERRORIST ATTACK OF 2016.
INDIA’S INDUS COMMISSIONER
P.K. SAXENA. UNDER THE TREATY THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD MEETING ONCE EVERY YEAR.
In 1948, the water rights of the river system were the focus of an Indo-Pakistani water dispute. Since the ratification of the treaty in 1960, India and Pakistan have not engaged in any water wars, despite engaging in several military conflicts. Most disagreements and disputes have been settled via legal procedures, provided for within the framework of the treaty.[13] The Indus Waters Treaty is considered one of the most successful water sharing endeavours in the world today, even though analysts acknowledge the need to update certain technical specifications and expand the scope of the agreement to address climate change.
Who brokered the INDUS WATER TREATY
WORLD BANK
Indo-Pakistani water dispute of 1948
India and Pakistan had a dispute over the sharing of water rights to the Indus River and its tributaries in April 1948, about eight months after their independence. The East Punjab province of India shut off water running to the West Punjab province of Pakistan via the main branches of the Upper Bari Doab Canal as well as the Dipalpur Canal from the Ferozepur Headworks.
It was resumed after five weeks when Pakistan agreed to attend an Inter-Dominion conference to negotiate an agreement. The critical nature of the Indian action caused deep apprehensions in Pakistan, which were eventually resolved only with the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960.
WHO CONSTRUCTED THE CHENAB RAIL BRIDGE
Afcons Infrastructure
Afcons Infrastructure Limited is a construction and engineering company based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The company provides infrastructure services and is involved in the construction of infrastructure projects such as viaducts, flyovers, metros, bridges, pipelines, roads, ports, barrages, oil and gas projects etc.
Afcons is a subsidiary of the Indian business conglomerate Shapoorji Pallonji Group who acquired the company in 2000. In 2006, there was widespread speculation that Afcons would go public in an IPO but the company did not go through with it.
The Chenab Rail Bridge was originally intended to be completed in December 2009.[15] However, in September 2008, the project was halted due to fears over the bridge’s stability and safety.[16] Work on the bridge restarted in 2010,[17] with the plan to complete it in 2015.
Formerly Asia Foundations and Construction Limited
Type Subsidiary
Industry Infrastructure
Founded 1959
Headquarters Mumbai, India
Key people Shapoor Pallonji Mistry (Chairman)
OPENING OF CHENAB RAILWAY BRIDGE
Opening -December 2022
Inaugurated - 13 August 2022
