J&K's escape tunnel: The longest escape tunnel on the Banihal-Katra rail link in Jammu and Kashmir was completed on Thursday. The 12.89 km-long tunnel is on the 111 km under-construction Banihal-Katra railway line. According to officials, the tunnel is part of the prestigious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) project.
Following the completion of the 12.75-km-long T-49, the largest tunnel of Indian Railways, this is the fourth tunnel on the Banihal-Katra route. The escape tunnel "T-13" has been constructed, according to officials, to make rescue efforts easier in case of an emergency.
The overarch deck of the ’s highest rail bridge, which spans the Chenab River in the Kouri area in the Reasi district, was finished with a golden joint on August 14. The breakthrough was executed by conducting a blast and with it, the work on the escape tunnel was started.
The longest escape tunnel of India
"The construction work of escape tunnel (12.89 km) for the longest rail tunnel T-49 between Khari and Banihal stations of Katra under USBRL project was completed today after successfully negotiating major cavity formation," a senior official engaged in the work said.
"This is the longest escape tunnel of India and its line and level are precisely achieved," the official said.
He said that it is a modified horseshoe shape tunnel connecting the Sumber station yard on the south side and tunnel T-50 after crossing bridge number 4 over Khoda nullah on the north side at Khoda village.
Tunnel T-49 is a twin-tube tunnel
The elevation of the south end at Sumber is approximately 1,400 metres and of the north end is 1,558 metres. Tunnel T-49 is a twin-tube tunnel comprising the main tunnel (12.75 km) and escape tunnel (12.89 km) connected with 33 cross-passages, the officials said.
Several challenges were encountered in the course of construction such as shear zone, perched aquifer, highly jointed rock mass, and heavy ingress of water, among others, they said. Out of the total 272 kilometres of the USBRL project, 161 km has already been commissioned and operationalized.
The officials stated that the work of the remaining 111 km between Katra and Banihal is under progress at a rapid pace.
(With PTI inputs)
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