Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project

About Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project:

• The USBRL Project involves the construction of a railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with the Indian Railways
• Aim: To connect Kashmir to the rest of the country and give a push to development in the Valley.
• Total Length:272 km
• The Project was declared as a “National Project” in 2002.
• The alignment of USBRL involves construction of a large number of Tunnels and Bridges in highly rugged and mountainous terrain with most difficult and complex Himalayan geology.
• This Project involves 38 Tunnels (combined length of 119 Km), the longest Tunnel (T-49) having a length of 12.75 Km and is the country's longest transportation tunnel.
• There are 927 nos. of Bridges (combined length of 13 Km). These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge (Overall length 1315 m, Arch span of 467 m and height of 359 m above Chenab river bed) which will be the highest railway bridge in the world.
• Indian railway's first cable-stayed bridge is also being constructed on Anji Khad.

Key facts about Anji Khad Bridge:

• It is an under-construction railway bridge in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It will be the first cable-stayed railway bridge in India.
• Features:
  • It is an asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge balanced on the axis of a central pylon, and it has tunnels on both ends.
  • The cable-stayed portion of the Anji bridge is 472.25 metres, while the total length of the bridge is 725.5 metres, which is divided into four parts, including an embankment.
  • The central span of the bridge is 290 metres; its total deck width will be 15 metres.
  • It stands at the height of 331 metres above the Anji river bed.
  • Trains can run up to 100km/h, and the bridge can withstand wind speeds up to 213 km/hr.