The project team responsible for building the Chenab bridge had to overcome a number of obstacles in order to realize the goal of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail. One of them was how to get to the area encircled by the Himalayas' steep and treacherous slopes.
Horses and mules were the team's only choice.
Chenab Bridge Built in More than 20 Years
The construction of the Chenab bridge was authorized in 2003. However, the bridge's construction was complicated by the area's rough terrain, safety concerns, and legal actions.
Building this bridge without blocking the Chenab River's flow was the engineers' biggest problem.
Engineers had to work on foot or with a mule in the early stages of the infrastructure project's construction. Logistics were still another major problem because of the location's inaccessibility and the restricted number of highways. Afcons Infrastructure's deputy managing director, Giridhar Rajagopalan, informed a news outlet that many of the bridge's parts were built and manufactured locally.
Team Behind Chenab Bridge Project
Together, several Indian companies and organizations have built this marvel in the country's remote and rugged terrain. The bridge's design and construction were contracted to VSL India and Afcons Infrastructure, a South Korean Ultra Construction & Engineering Company. The design for its foundation protection was given to the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, while the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, completed the slope stability analysis.
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) worked together to make this structure blast-proof. The viaduct and foundations were planned by the Finnish business WSP Group, while the arch was designed by the German firm Leonhardt Andra.
Companies Involved in Building the Chenab Bridge
- VSL India & Afcons Infrastructure
- Responsible for the design and construction of the bridge.
- Afcons collaborated with Ultra Construction & Engineering Company from South Korea.
- Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
- Handled the foundation protection design.
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi
- Conducted the slope stability analysis.
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- Contributed to making the bridge blast-proof.
- Leonhardt Andra (Germany)
- Designed the main arch of the bridge.
- WSP Group (Finland)
- Designed the viaduct and foundations.
Chenab Bridge Salient Features
The bridge was designed and constructed in cooperation with Afcons Infrastructure, Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, a South Korean company, and VSL India.
The Chenab bridge can withstand earthquakes, high winds (up to 260 kmph), extremely high temperatures, and the hydrological consequences of rising water levels because of its 120-year lifespan.
As per Afcons, the bridge is capable of withstanding high-intensity "explosions of up to 40 kg of TNT" and carrying trains traveling at speeds of up to 100 km/h. Even if unforeseen circumstances caused damage to a pillar, trains may still operate, albeit at a slower pace.
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