India’s first cable stayed railway bridge, Anji Khad Bridge, underway in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir, India: Under the challenging Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project of Indian Railways, the Anji Khad Bridge is currently being constructed in the Reasi district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This cable-stayed bridge is the first of its kind for Indian Railways, connecting Katra and Reasi.

Located approximately 80 km from Jammu, the Anji Khad Bridge faces extremely complex and fragile geological features, including faults, folds, and thrusts, as well as seismic activity. To ensure safety and stability, detailed site-specific investigations were conducted by IIT, Roorkee and IIT, Delhi.

Due to space constraints, a special hybrid foundation was used to stabilize the slopes of the mountain supporting one foundation of the main span on the Katra end.

The construction of the bridge was divided into four parts: a 120 m long approach viaduct on the Reasi side, a 38 m long approach bridge on the Katra end, the main bridge with a length of 473.25 m, and a central embankment of 94.25 m located between the main bridge and an approach viaduct.

The cable-stayed main bridge has a total length of 473.25 m with a main span of 290 m and a single main pylon standing at a height of 193 m from the top of the foundation, at a height of 331 m above the river bed. The bridge has a total length of 725.5 m, including an ancillary viaduct of 120 m in length, an approach bridge of 38 m on the Katra end, and a central embankment of 94.25 m.

The bridge is designed to withstand strong winds and has been equipped with an integrated monitoring system, consisting of numerous sensors installed at various locations on the bridge. Various unique techniques and equipment, such as the DOKA Jump form Shuttering and Pump Concreting System, are being used to enhance construction activities and ensure worker safety.

The detailed design and construction supervision of the bridge have been assigned to the Italian Company ITALFERR, with proof checking by the Company COWI, UK. The design has been based on Indy started by Photo by Eurocodes, where necessary.

With a design speed of 100 km/h, the Anji Khad Bridge will carry a single railway line, a 3.75 m wide service road, and a 1.5 m wide footpath on each side of the deck, with an overall width of 15 m. Site-specific earthquake parameters studies have been conducted to ensure the bridge’s structural integrity and safety during service.