Jammu–Baramulla line
India is undertaking one of its most challenging railway projects ever by building a line to connect Kashmir with the Himalayan foothills. Far from being an ordinary scheme, the 290km route crosses major earthquake zones, and is subjected to extreme temperatures of cold and heat, as well as inhospitable terrain.
The Kashmir Railway has been under construction since 1994 by various railway companies in India. They have been engaged in building one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world. When completed this line will link the city of Jammu in the Northern plains of India with city of Srinagar in the Himalayan Valleys and beyond. This project has had a long and chequered history but as of 2006 serious progress is being made after it was declared a National Priority Project in 2001. Planned date of completion was August 15 2007, but several unforeseen complications have pushed back the final completion deadline to some time in 2009. It is to be noted that the Banihal tunnel is scheduled for completion only in 2011, hence further delays are likely.
, 2006]]
History
1898: Maharaja Pratap Singh first explored the possibility of a railway line connecting Jammu with Srinagar. For various reasons including complications with the British government and political frictions this was put on hold.
1902: Britain proposes a rail link following the Jhelum river connecting Srinagar to Rawalpindi. This was not popular as the residents of the state lived mostly in Jammu and Srinagar and interacted via the more southerly Moghul road. Politics did not favour this proposal.
1905: Britain again proposes a link between Rawalpindi and Srinagar. Maharaja Pratap Singh approves rail line between Jammu and Srinagar via Reasi through Moghul road. This audacious line was to have involved a 2'-0" (610 mm) or 2'-6" (763 mm) gauge railway climbing all the way to the Moghul road pass at 11,000+ feet (3355 m) over the Pir Panjal Range. This can be compared to the present day Banihal Tunnel at approximately 7,000 ft (2135 m). As planned it would have been electric-powered and would have used the mountain streams as a source of hydro-electric power.
In retrospect it was perhaps just as well that it was not built. Though it would have been spectacular, the low gauge and elevated pass would have meant it was not all weather and been constrained low speed and capacity similar to the impractical Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
1947: With partition Jammu was disconnected from the united India Rail grid and a new line from Pathankot to Jammu had to be laid. It was proposed that this be extended to Srinagar but the preliminary survey of the Pir Panjal quickly squashed the thought, especially for a poor country with higher priorities.
1983: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi kicks off the line from Jammu to Udhampur. An optimistic schedule of five years and a budget of 50 Crores was set. As detailed below what happened to this line amply illustrates the wisdom of the earlier planners who had abandoned their plans when faced with reality.
1994: Railway minister Jaffer Sharief declares the need for a railway line to Baramulla and the Kashmir valley. Upon further review it was revealed that this would be a 'hanging' Railway running from Qazigund to Srinagar and on to Baramulla. The line from Katra to Qazigund through the mountains still looks unattainable.
2002 July: The Vajpayee Government declares the line a National Project. This means that it will be constructed and completed irrespective of cost. The central government will fund the entire project. This is important as the Railways do not have the now estimated cost of 6,000 Crores for the entire project. By the Railways' allocation it would have taken 60 years to complete the project.
The project is now set at a war-like priority, with money not an issue. A suitably challenging deadline of August 15, 2007, Independence Day, was also set.
2005 April 13: The Jammu to Udhampur line, all of 50 km (31 mi), is inaugurated, 21 years and 550 Crores ($130 Million US) after its commencement. The line has 20 major tunnels and 160 bridges. Its longest tunnel is 2.5 km (1.5 mi) - longer than the Banihal Pass Tunnel - and it highest bridge is 77 m 252 ft). This is in the relatively easy Shivalik Hills.
The Project
Kashmir has long been separated from India by a lack of suitable transport routes. Currently the only way to reach the area is by a hairpin-road journey. The area also sparks many political debates, as Kashmiris want independence, whilst India and Pakistan are still holding talks over ruling powers.
The 290km extension of the Indian Railway network will allow a 900km (560 mile) journey direct from Delhi in India to Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
Constructing the railway route to this isolated region has involved significant engineering challenges, and although the first short section has a 2007 opening date, other major structures are two years behind.
Many bridges and tunnels are being built, including an 11km tunnel and the world’s highest railway bridge which towers above the Chenab River.
Infrastructure
The alignment for the Kashmir Railway presents one of the greatest railway engineering challenges ever faced, with the only contest coming from the recently completed China-Tibet rail route which crosses permanently frozen ground and climbs to more than 5,000m above sea level.
Whilst the temperatures of the Kashmir Railway area are not as severe as China, it does still experience extreme winters with heavy snowfalls. However, making the route even more complex is the requirement to pass through the Himalayan foothills and the mighty Pir Panjals with most peaks exceeding 15,000 feet in height.
The route includes many bridges, viaducts and tunnels – the lower section of the railway crosses a total of 158 bridges and passes through 20 tunnels, the longest of which is 11km (six miles) in length. The greatest single engineering challenge is the crossing of the Chenab which involves building a bridge 359m above the river bed, 1,315m long.
This bridge will be the highest railway structure of its kind in the world, 35m higher than the tip of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is being project managed by the Konkan Railway Construction between Salal and Laol stations. Completion is scheduled for 2009, two years after the first isolated section of the route is due to open for local passenger services, and it requires the use of 26,000t of steel.
Even though the line is being built through a mountainous region, a ruling gradient of 1% has been set to provide a safe, smooth and reliable journey. More importantly Bankers will not be required making the journey quicker and smoother. It will be built to the Indian standard gauge of 1,676mm gauge, laid on concrete sleepers with continuous welded rail and with a minimum curve radius of 676m. Maximum line speed will be 100km/h (60mph). Provision for future doubling will be made on the major bridges. Additionally provisions for future electrification will be made, though the line will be operated with diesel locomotives initially. Kashmir is an electricity scarce region at present. There will be 30 stations on the full route, served by 10–12 trains per day initially.
The Kashmir line will connect with the Indian Railways railhead at Jammu, where a 60km access route has been built to Udhampur. The main sections of the route are between Udhampur and Qazigund – 75% in tunnels and the responsibility of Konkan Railway Construction Corporation – with the Qazigund-Baramulla section being constructed by Indian Railways.
The second section to Baramulla is due to open in 2007. However, this will remain isolated until the remaining, more challenging part of the route including the Chenab River crossing is completed in 2009.
Rolling stock
Rolling stock for the new route will be from the existing national fleet. Both passenger and freight trains will use the new railway into and out of Kashmir. Passenger services will be provided by the new Aerodynamic HP diesel multiple units. The service will at first be provided on a 45km section of the Qazigund-Baramulla section, running initially between Rajwansher and Anwantipora. The entire Qazigund-Baramulla section is due to open by the end of 2007.
Freight services conveying grain and petroleum products will run in between the 10–12 passengers services that are planned to operate daily.
Maintenance of all rolling stock and locomotives will be at the newly built Budgam Shed just South of Srinagar.
Signalling and communications
Three-aspect colour light signalling is being installed on the route to maintain train safety. GSM-R equipment may be installed in the future to improve the quality of the system.
There has also been mention of the Konkan Railways ACD (Anti-Collision Device) being supplied for equipment on the line.
Security
The regions the line passes through continue to face terrorist challenges. The presence of Pakistan close by aggravates these challenges. Plans for CCD cameras at all major Bridges, Tunnels and Railway Stations have been made. Additionally a special security detail to protect this infrastructure has been contemplated.
The future
The Kashmir Railway has been designated as a National Project Status, as the Indian Government is keen to improve transport into and out of the region for both parties' benefit.
The first section of the route is due to open in 2007, but it will be 2009 before a through service from central India to Kashmir is possible, due to the number of river crossings, tunnels and gorges that the railway has to cross
Project operations
The Project officially coded USBRL(Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway) starts from the city of Udhampur North of Jammu and travels for 312 km (187 mi) to the city of Baramulla on the North Western Edge of the Kashmir Valley.
Indian Railway is in Charge of the Udhampur to Katra Section (25 Kms) Konkan Railway is in charge of the Katra to Laole Section (90 Kms). This is arguably the the toughest portion of the railway with over 80% of the line either inside a Tunnel or on a Bridge. IRCON, a Public Sector railway construction company is in charge of the Laole to Barramulla Section (120 Kms). Another tough brutal section.
HCC has won the tender to construct both the North and South Section of the 11km Banihal tunnel for approx $120 million. Work is underway. AFCONS with Ultra Engineering (South Korea) will design and construct the Chenab Bridge for Approx $130 million. Gammon India with Archirodon Construction (South Africa) will build the Anji Khad Bridge for Approx $100 million.
Recognition of sacrifices
June 2004 Sudhir Kumar, an IRCON Engineer and his Brother (name?) were kidnapped and murdered by Terrorists in the valley.
June 2005 Altaf Hussain, A laborer working in a Tunnel at Tathyar (HCC) was killed by a collapse. Two others were injured.
Current status
November 2006 - Test bogies have been successfully transferred to the the Kashmir Valley through the Banihal Tunnel by ABC Transport Inc.