Trains ready to chug through India's longest transport tunnel in Pir Panjal range by AllIsWell on 10 June, 2013 - 06:01 AM | ||
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AllIsWell | Trains ready to chug through India's longest transport tunnel in Pir Panjal range on 10 June, 2013 - 06:01 AM | |
Finishing touches are being given to India's longest railway transportation tunnel, Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, which will link Kashmir valley with Banihal tehsil of Jammu.The 10.96 km is likely to be thrown open this month.The tunnel connects Bichleri Valley of Banihal with Qazigund area of Kashmir Valley, is the India's first longest transport tunnel and Asia's second longest tunnel. Longest tunnel in Asia is Wushaoling tunnel (20 km) in Gansu, China.The tunnel will reduce distance between Banihal and Qazigund, which is also one of the most treacherous stretches in the entire Rs.11,000 crore-worth 292 km Udhampur-Kashmir rail network project, from 35 km by road to 17.5 km on train.Since October 2009, the railway line from Qazigund to Baramulla (119 km) is operational for public. Now with completion of the tunnel train would run from Baramulla to Banihal. "This state-of-the-art tunnel is 100 per cent water-proof and equipped with a fire fighting system throughout its entire length," says Project Manager of Hindustan Construction Co Ltd Sharnappa Yalal.Yalal has been part of the project since 2005 when it was awarded to the HCC."You see we have completed everything. The tunnel can be commissioned any time now," relieved Yalal said.The Pir Panjal tunnel is 440 m lower than the existing Jawahar road tunnel so as to ensure that the effect of snow is minimal.The Jawahar tunnel was built in 1950s by the drill and blast method. While as New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) has been employed for the first time in India for Pir Panjal tunnel. |