Early Times Report
Reasi, Aug 24: Construction of the world’s highest railway bridge, being built across the Chenab River in the Reasi district, is underway and is set to be completed by January next year. The bridge which will connect the valley with the rest of the country by train will be 359 meters high, taller than Eiffel Tower and 1.3 kilometres long.
RR Malik, the Chief Engineer, said that 86 per cent of the work has been completed and the entire construction work would be completed by January. “The arch is almost in the completion phase and after that, it will take two months to be over. By December/January, the work would be over then, one year is required for the deck to push,” he said. He further said that labour force involved in building from various parts of the country. “People are all part of the country are engaged in the construction. Some labourers who have worked on it are from southern, eastern parts of the country. Some labourers have come from Punjab as well,” Malik added. While the coronavirus pandemic has put work to a halt, workers here couldn’t go back home even though work on the bridge was stopped (in the first 21 days of the national lockdown).
“During the first 21 days, we stopped all work. We followed the administration’s instruction. We then got permission to resume. We did not allow people to go out and in a phased manner, we started the arch construction first,” he added.
He said that it was “during that period, we achieved good progress”.
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