Bridge 43: Launched with a golden joint
Afconians in 16 KRCL Bridges project in J&K complete launching of 777m steel structure from both ends with zero deviation
While the Chenab Railway Bridge in J&K is making headlines globally for its technical and engineering complexity, 16 other railway bridges are being constructed by Afcons which in the context of the Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project are equally significant. They may not be as tall or imposing as the Chenab Railway Bridge, but they are no less dangerous or complex by either geological or engineering means.
One such bridge is Bridge No 43 that connects directly with the Chenab Railway Bridge at Bakkal in Reasi district. Constructing anything in the hilly and inhospitable terrains of J&K is challenging. Afconians in the 16 KRCL Bridges project completed launching of the bridge and achieved the milestone of a golden joint.
The bridge is 777m long with a total structural weight of 8,047 MT. Approximately 35,000 cum of concrete will be used in its construction. The bridge has 13 spans and a curvature of 1.4 degree from Katra end.
Describing the launching activity, project manager Alimilla Sagar, said “In order to complete the launching process in least possible time, the launching of girder was started from both ends, i.e, 472m curve portion from Katra end with push method, and 305m straight portion was launched from Chenab Bridge end by pull method. Girder segments from both ends met at P8 for final point referred to as the Golden Joint.”
Explaining why the particular launching process was adapted, Sagar said, “Considering the weight of the girders, distance between the two ends, and the topography, it was more feasible to launch the girders from both ends. Moreover, since the bridge had a curve alignment of 1.4 degree, the push and pull method was adopted for controlled launching. We could, therefore, avoid the risk of deviation.”
Delivering the girder segments on such a hilly terrain with no proper connectivity was a challenge. “We overcame various difficulties. Besides lack of proper roads, we faced space constraints for pre-assembly work of girder segments and the launching of heavy girder on curve path. The C5 painting work was often disrupted due to high humidity level. We always kept a mobile painting shed on standby to maintain dry and suitable working conditions during heavy rainfall,” the project manager said.
Afconians in the 16 KRCL Bridges project are displaying strong will and unmatchable grit to overcome the hazards of working under hostile conditions. Their muted sacrifice and toil are the ingredients on which key national infrastructures like the USBRL are made.
