Identify the correct statements about the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project I. Indian Railway's first cable-s…

Question

Identify the correct statements about the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project

I. Indian Railway's first cable-stayed bridge has been constructed over the Anji Khad in this project.

II. The iconic 1315 m long Chenab bridge is the World's highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 m above the river bed.

1. A. I only
2. B. II only
3. C. Both I and II (Correct answer)
4. D. Neither I nor II

Correct Answer

Option C — Both I and II

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Both I and II.

Key Points

• Statement I is correct. The Anji Khad bridge is Indian Railways' first cable-stayed bridge, built across the Anji river, a tributary of the Chenab, in Reasi district. It rests on a single central pylon rising 193 m above the foundation and is supported by 96 cables.
• Statement II is correct. The Chenab Bridge is 1,315 m long and its arch rises 359 m above the river bed, making it the world's highest railway arch bridge — some 35 m taller than the Eiffel Tower.

Additional Information

• The Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL):
  • A 272 km national project connecting the Kashmir Valley to the Indian railway network, sanctioned in 1994–95 and declared a National Project in 2002.
  • Involves 36 main tunnels totalling about 119 km and 943 bridges.
  • The full line was inaugurated in 2025, with the Vande Bharat service running to Srinagar.
• Engineering features of the Chenab Bridge:
  • Built of steel to withstand temperatures from −20 °C to 40 °C and wind speeds up to 266 km/h.
  • Designed to remain serviceable after a blast, and to survive a Zone-V earthquake.
  • Uses about 30,000 tonnes of steel with a design life of 120 years.
• Tunnel T-49, at 12.77 km, is the longest transportation tunnel in India, running between Sumber and Khari on this same project.
• The Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel (formerly Chenani–Nashri), at 9.28 km on NH-44, is India's longest road tunnel and cut the Jammu–Srinagar journey by about 30 km.