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The Konkan Railway works are in full swing for the Katra-Laole section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Works costing Rs. 1340 crores including bridge across the river Chenab have been awarded to various national and international contractors. The bridge across the Chenab River will be the country’s tallest Steel Arch Railway Bridge with a height of 359 metres from the rivr bed and single arch span of 480 metres. The work of the bridge has been awarded to the joint venture company of M/s Afcons India Limited and M/s Ultra Construction and Engineering Company of Korea. The work of another unique bridge across the river Anjikhad with a height of 190 metres and single steel arch span of 240 metres is also awarded to a joint venture company of M/s Gammon India Limited and M/s Archirodon Construction (Overseas) Co. S.A. The mobilization for the works is in full swing and the construction is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of the year 2007.
The works of 12 tunnels with total length 23 kilometres have been awarded (five tunnels are in and around Reasi and seven tunnels are beyond the River Chenab) and are progressing well. These tunnels are passing through geologically active zone and the works are very critical and challenging. Konkan Railway is also making 33 kilometre long approach roads through the inaccessible mountains of mighty Himalayas to facilitate the construction of these tunnels beyond the Chenab River. A length of 12 kilometres has already been completed and the balance length is expected to be completed by end of December 2004. By these approach roads, Konkan Railway links the so far inaccessible areas of these mountains, for the first time. These approach roads will be a boon to the nearby villagers who were deprived of the facility of roads for their economic development.
A unique experiment of forming 16 consulting engineering companies, comprising 140 local graduate engineers is proving to be a great success.
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