‘Robust disaster management plan to safeguard J&K’s rail link’

Srinagar, Feb 25: The Konkan Rail Corporation Limited (KRCL) has partnered with STS Global, a specialized agency in disaster management planning, to fortify the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) with a Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan.
The strategic initiative aims to enhance the safety and resilience of the USBRL project, a vital national undertaking that connects Kashmir with the rest of India through an all-weather transport link.
A KRCL Spokesman told Rising Kashmir that the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is a project of national importance connecting Kashmir with the rest of India with an all-weather transport link.
“Given the frequent disruptions in the road link that presently serves this purpose, particularly during the winters, the rail link is a much-awaited project for the region,” he said.
The spokesman said this railway line spans a total length of 272 km and contains India’s longest railway tunnel and the world’s highest railway river bridge.
“Given the critical nature of the rail line and the climate and the vulnerability of the terrain, the project warranted a robust disaster management plan,” he said.
The spokesman said that Northern Railways and its implementing agency Konkan Rail Corporation Limited (KRCL) has took the services of STS Global, an agency specialising in disaster management planning, to put in place a Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan for the rail link.
“The undertaking of a disaster management plan is an unprecedented activity, which focuses the long-term view of safety in Indian Railways, especially given a number of upcoming critical infrastructure lines in the mountain regions of the country,” he said.
The spokesman said that a study involving the key components was carried out before finalising the standard operating protocols for all concerned railway personnel and related agencies.
“Risk assessment, which involved detailed mapping of all the key hazards along and the resultant risk to all assets along the corridor,” he said.
Another aspect includes stakeholder consultation, including inputs from multiple departments and agencies that play an important role in ensuring the safety of passengers and railway infrastructure.
“This formed the basis for the Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan which included the preparedness plan and protocols to be followed by the officials during any disaster pertaining to the operations of the rail link,” he added.
The spokesman said that the plan is one of its kind and consists of the Multi-Hazard Vulnerability Risk Assessment (MHVRA) at a level wherein every section of the rail line has been assessed in detail.
“National Institute of Disaster Management carried out a consultative review of the plan, with inputs from National Disaster Management Authority and other key agencies,” he added.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the longest transportation tunnel of the country on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) and flagged off the first electrified trains of the Kashmir valley.
Prime Minister Modi was present in Jammu and he virtually flagged off two electrified trains simultaneously — one from Srinagar to Sangaldan in the down direction and the other from Sangaldan to Srinagar in the up direction.
The commissioning of the Banihal-Sangaldan section, part of the larger USBRL Project, is a significant step toward establishing an all-weather transportation network through the challenging terrain of the Pir Panjal Ranges. Out of the total 272-km USBRL Project, 161 km has already been commissioned, with the latest addition of 48 km between Banihal and Sangaldan.
Chenab Bridge stands at the height of 1,178 feet above the riverbed, making it 35 metres taller than Paris’ tourist icon, the Eiffel Tower.
The bridge is part of the Rs 35000 crore Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project which aims to boost connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir by providing connectivity in complex topography and weather conditions.