Completion of Digging Work on T-14 Tunnel: A Major Milestone in the Banihal-Katra Railway Link Project Connecting the Ramban and Reasi Districts of Jammu and Kashmir |
The Banihal-Katra Railway Link project is a major milestone for the Northern Railway in India, connecting the towns of Banihal and Katra in Jammu and Kashmir. The recent completion of the T-14 tunnel, a crucial part of the project, is a significant achievement. This article will cover the challenges faced during construction, the completion of the digging work on the T-14 tunnel, and the progress of the Banihal-Katra Railway Link project.
Challenges Faced During Construction
The T-14 tunnel, located between the Sangaldan and Sawalkote stations, presented several challenges to the engineers and workers due to the hilly terrain of the lower Himalayas. The construction work was challenging due to the tunnel being located in a shear zone. The workers encountered flammable gases (methane), a perched aquifer, a highly jointed rock mass, and a high ingress of water. However, with diligent work, they managed to overcome all the challenges.
Completion of Digging Work on T-14 Tunnel
Giving Wings to connectivity in J&K: Breakthrough in main tunnel T14 (6.284 km), was recently achieved on the USBRL project. pic.twitter.com/7j8shIwDeN
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 6, 2023
The officials have confirmed that the digging work on the T-14 tunnel has been completed. The ceremony was conducted by Indu Paul Kaur, an engineer from Awantipora in Kashmir who is working with IRCON. The T-14 tunnel is a major milestone in the under-construction Katra-Banihal section. The tunnel has two tubes—the main tunnel and the escape tunnel. It has been constructed using the NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method) methodology, which is an observational and sequential construction method.
The south portal of tunnel T-14 is located in Sawalkote village in Arnas tehsil, at a distance of 100 kilometers from the district headquarters of Reasi and at an altitude of 1,070 meters. The north portal of the tunnel is located in the Indian village of Gool Tehsil in Ramban, at an altitude of 1,150 meters.
Progress of the Banihal-Katra Railway Link Project
Out of the 272-km length of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 161-km have already been commissioned and operationalized, the officials said. The work on the 111-km stretch between the Katra-Banihal section traverses through hilly terrain of the lower Himalayas, in which geology is a major challenge.
The completion of the T-14 tunnel is a major milestone in the project. It will provide a vital link between the towns of Banihal and Katra and improve connectivity in the region. The project is expected to boost tourism, trade, and commerce in the region, which will benefit the local population.
At The End
The completion of the digging work on the T-14 tunnel is a significant achievement for the Northern Railway. Despite several challenges, the engineers and workers managed to complete the project successfully. The Banihal-Katra Railway Link project is expected to boost the economy of the region by improving connectivity and providing better transportation facilities to the people.