Progress on Kashmir Rail Link

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JIS: Why is it called an asymmetrical bridge? It seem to have an equal number of cables on each side of the central pillar? Admittedly I was not able to count the cables in these images but they looked equal.
I think it has to do with the fact that the cable supported decks on the two sides of the supporting pillar are of different length.
 
Looks like one of the three mentioned extensions of the Kashmir Rail Link is moving towards reality. Tenders have been called for the 50km extension from the current Norther terminus at Baramulla to Uri near the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.

https://www.greaterkashmir.com/kashmir/50-km-baramulla-uri-railway-line-in-offing
The other extension that has been sanctioned is the 39km Baramulla to Kupwara extension, yet another to the vicinity of the LoC further North. The third extension is a long range plan to add a branch up Zoji La Pass to Kargil and thence to Leh.
 
Just a quick update. Recently I saw a set of photos in an article in local language. They show that laying of track on the bridge is complete. Electrification poles are in place, getting ready to receive catenary. It is likely that the entire project will be ready for initial service late in 2024 or early 2025, even thugh they officially say mid-2024.
 
I was trying to trace the route on Google Terrain Map, and discovered that most of it is in tunnels. It comes out of tunnels for a short distance at each station. But the few places that it is visible, augmented by available YouTube videos more recent than Google map updates, clearly tracks are in place and at least electrification poles are in place. Catenary installation is in progress but there is quite a ways to go before that is completed.
 
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Here is a very informative article about the Katra - Banihal last phase of the Kashmir Rail Link. Unfortunately one has to have a subscription to Railway Gazette International, but as it is the best and most impartial article devoid of any nationalist chest thumping that I could find, I thought I will post it with the subscription warning anyway...

https://www.railwaygazette.com/in-depth/india-kashmir-link-nears-completion/64406.article
Now it looks highly likely that the entire project will be completed and service inaugurate sometime in 2024. The more optimistic think it will be by March but I am not one those, given what I know about the state of work on Tunnel T1. Later in the year seems more likely to me.
 
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First MEMU trial run on the 50 km segment at the Northern end between Banihal and Sumbar of the 111 km segment under construction between Banihal and Katra took place on Jan 25, 2024. Trial run between Banihal and Khari had been completed in early December. Next stop Sangaldan.

This segment includes the longest tunnel in India. Of the 111 km under construction 98km is in tunnels. And almost all of the tracks are ballast less. Electrification in tunnels uses ceiling rails rather than catenary.

 
Latest on the Katra - Banihal section....

Looks like local service between Sangaldan and Banihal will begin within the next couple of weeks as soon as CRS (Commissioner of Railway Safety) inspection and certification is completed. Current plans are for CRS certification to be completed by the 12th of Feb with a visit by a diesel loco that day. On the 16th the first electric train, an EMU is scheduled to visit and apparently the GM of Northern Railway, the Railway Minister and the Prime Minister Mr. Modi are scheduled to visit that day to formally inaugurate service.

There has been a setback in Tunnel 33 (previously Tunnel 1) between Katra and Reasi with the collapse of a roof portion which will delay opening of the Katra to Reasi section by a month or two.

There is several weeks of work that needs to be completed at Sawalkot Station before service can be extended from Sangaldan all the way to Bakkal across the Chenab Arch Bridge.

Track laying is just starting on the the Cable Stayed Anji Khad Bridge and will take several weeks to complete track laying and OHE installation. Upon its completion service can be extended from the north to Reasi. That will leave only the segment involving Tunnel 33.

Here is an article covering most of this in an interview with the General Manager of Northern Railway.

https://newsstation.media/latest-ne...ce-banihal-sangaldaan-operations/siddharatha/

For reference here is a schematic of the segment under construction:

kr-png.6675181


The locations marked with a name followed by (RS) are the stations. A few stations have changed names since this diagram was put together. From the North:

Arpinchal -> Khari
Basindadhar -> Sawalkote
Salal -> Bakkal
Reasi Road -> Reasi

The names on the right are the ones that appear on the Station Name Boards at the actual stations.

About 98 km of the 111 km segment is in tunnels, so only 13 km gets to see daylight, including from high bridges like the Chenab Bridge adjacent to Bakkal station and the Anji Khad Bridge between Reasi and Katra.

This line crosses the Himalayan Foothills and Shivaliks between Jammu and Katra, the Outer Himalayas between Katra and Chnab Bridge, and the Pir Panjal Range between Chenab Bridge and Qazigund under Banihal Pass. through the Pir Panjal Tunnel just North of Banihal Station. The main Himalaya Range is on the North of Kashmir Valley, and is crossed by the Srinagar - Leh National Highway at Zoji La Pass, now through the new Zoji La Tunnel.
 
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The test run of a locomotive to Sangaldan Station that was scheduled for today (2/12/24) took place.

A full test for CRS certification upto Sangaldan from the North (Banihal) using an EMU is scheduled for the 16th.

See map in the previous post to get a bearing on where the named locations are.

But going beyond Sangaldan will take several months, since the next station - Sawalkote will take at least that long to get ready. Once Sawalkote becomes usable, then it will be relatively easy to extend all the way to Reasi across the Chenab Bridge. After that what happens depends on how things go with Tunnel T-33 (previously T-1). That is the one that cross the Main Base Thrust of the Himalayas, and is about 350M wide with very weak rocks with huge amount of water incursion that has proved to be quite a challenge - just those 350M out of its total length of 3.5 kM.
 
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The test run of a locomotive to Sangaldan Station that was scheduled for today (2/12/24) took place.

A full test for CRS certification upto Sangaldan from the North (Banihal) using an EMU is scheduled for the 16th.

See map in the previous post to get a bearing on where the named locations are.

But going beyond Sangaldan will take several months, since the next station - Sawalkote will take at least that long to get ready. Once Sawalkote becomes usable, then it will be relatively easy to extend all the way to Reasi across the Chenab Bridge. After that what happens depends on how things go with Tunnel T-33 (previously T-1). That is the one that cross the Main Base Thrust of the Himalayas, and is about 350M wide with very weak rocks with huge amount of water incursion that has proved to be quite a challenge - just those 350M out of its total length of 3.5 kM.
That construction diesel seems to be an Alco. Were they built in India under license? As a former SP&S Rwy. customer, I need to know.

Seriously, the related videos show what a magnificent project this is.
 
That construction diesel seems to be an Alco. Were they built in India under license? As a former SP&S Rwy. customer, I need to know.

Seriously, the related videos show what a magnificent project this is.
Indian Railways built several thousand Alcos original design and derivatives over decades at Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, now known as Benaras Locomotive Works as it has stopped producing diesels and has transitioned over to 25kV electrics.

All WDM-2 and WDM-3 class variants are Alco derivatives. under license that allowed IR to create and build derivatives. They can be found in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in addition to India.

Also Meter Gauge class YDM-4 is Alco derivative and can be found in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Southeast Asia and East Africa. This license was from MLW which came to own the Alco IPR.
 
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The test run of a locomotive to Sangaldan Station that was scheduled for today (2/12/24) took place.

A full test for CRS certification upto Sangaldan from the North (Banihal) using an EMU is scheduled for the 16th.
The Diesel Engine trial run to Sangaldan took place early this morning (2/13/24) IST. Commentary is in Hindi, which one can ignore as what is happening is pretty obvious from the video even if viewed silently. I wish they would figure out that the word they want to use is "trial" and not "trail" 🥴



This was followed by EMU trial run in the afternoon today (IST is 10.5 hours ahead of EST).



As mentioned before, the next step to Sawalkote will take several months before it can take place.

Meanwhile the current Kashmir Valley service may be extended from Banihal to Sangaldan within the next week or two. This service will be using EMU and not DMU since 95% of the distance between Banihal and Sangaldan is in tunnels, amounting to just under 40km or so in tunnels which also have attached second escape tunnel.
 
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Seriously, the related videos show what a magnificent project this is.
One amazing aspect of the project that is not often mentioned is that in its climb from the plains to the high point of 5680' above MSL at Pir Panjal Tunnel the ruling gradient is 1%, so no train will require bankers, freight or passenger.

The actual Banihal Pass is 9,200'. The previous road tunnel (Jawahar Tunnel) was at around 7,200'. The new Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel is at 5,870'.

Also, it is quite remarkable that the total cost of construction is around $4 Billion.
 
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Can we assume that the smaller entrance to the left of the rail tunnel is for emergency evacuations? Any idea of how it is designed vs ones in Europe?
There are cross links to the main tunnel every 375m or so. The design follow pretty standard European practice. The tunnels are constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method.

Quoting from a previous new release upon completion of the escape tunnel seen here...
The Escape Tunnel passes through the Ramban formation of the Young Himalayas and besides this, various distributaries/Nallahs of Chenab River like Khoda, Hingni, Kundan nallah etc.

The tunnel mining was very challenging and several surprises were met during tunneling. Excessive deformations were recorded during tunneling at several locations between Kundan and Seeran, but these challenges were successfully tackled professionally.

So it passes under several feeder streams which feed the Chenab River, which is bridged at Bakkal by the big Steel Arch Bridge which we have discussed before. These tunnels are all far upstream of the location of the bridge.

The Chenab River (one of the five that form the Indus system) flows down its gorge from the East which is fed by two major rivers further upstream, Chandra and Bhaga, which respectively rise in the Lahoul and Spiti Valleys in Himachal Pradesh. Chandra rises under Baralach La Pass (15,910') crossing the main spine of the Great Himalaya Range, which is on the road route from Manali (HP State) to Leh in Ladakh Union Territory. The scale of all this is massive.
 
Another more elaborate video of the trial run, speed may have been upto 70mph. Ignore the commentary in Hindi. Just some details about the run.



PM Modi will inaugurate regular passenger service from Sangaldan to Srinagar on the 20th of Feb, with regular scheduled passenger service starting operation on the 21st of Feb 2024.
 
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