Gateway to Kashmir valley under scrutiny: Railway security inspects Banihal-Khari track
The CRS, who was accompanied by a team of senior officials from Northern Railways, IRCON and construction companies, first inspected the track, tunnels and bridges and then followed it up with a high speed electric train, said officials.
The commissioner of railway safety (CRS), Dinesh Chand Deshwal, on Wednesday evening, inspected 14.869 km long Banihal-Khari rail track, part of the prestigious Udhampur-SrinagarBaramulla rail link (USBRL) project, said officials.
The CRS, who was accompanied by a team of senior officials from Northern Railways, IRCON and construction companies, first inspected the track, tunnels and bridges and then followed it up with a high speed electric train, said officials.
With this, the 14.869 km long rail track is likely to be thrown open for regular train traffic between the two stations, they added.
Banihal-Khari sector has a cut and cover tunnel, two major bridges and three major tunnels.
It was second round of statutory inspection by Deshwal before taking a call on opening Banihal-Khari section of the 272 km long USBRL project. “The CRS inspected the tracks, tunnels, bridges and the infrastructure at the two railway stations of Khari and Banihal before returning in high speed electric train from Banihal,” said a senior official.
A senior Railways official said once the CRS gave permission, the trains would chug between Khari and Banihal railway stations. “The work is also in full swing on Katra-Banihal stretch and we hope to make it functional by March this year,” he added.
On December 22, the Northern Railways had achieved a major milestone in Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project with the breakthrough of 3,209 meter long Tunnel T-1 between Katra and Reasi railway stations.
The Indian Railways is edging closer to connect Kashmir Valley with the rest of the railway network in India. The breakthrough of the T-1 tunnel also marked a monumental stride towards progress and enhanced connectivity.
Tunnel T-1 is located at the foothills of Trikuta Hills near Katra in Reasi district being constructed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited for Northern Railways under the national projects.
The Katra-Reasi stretch, covering a challenging 111 km, faced multiple interruptions during construction, necessitating the involvement of global experts. Tunnel T-1, formerly recognised as the most challenging tunnel due to its passage through the Himalayan Main Boundary Thrust (MBT), presented formidable geological challenges, including rugged terrain and substantial water inflow from within the tunnel.
The tunnel alignment cuts across the lesser Himalayas and is characterised by highly jointed and fractured dolomite.
Also, a portion of about 300-350 m cuts across a major shear zone known as the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT).
Due to the presence of shear zone coupled with high ingress of water, tunnel excavation in this stretch had been a daunting challenge.
