The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) in Kashmir is the biggest project in the construction of a mountain railway since independence. From Jammu to Baramulla, length of the new rail line is 345 km. Afcons has bagged three major segments of Project T - 74 R , Project T - 74 R B (South Portal), Project T - 49 B of the USBRL project. Afcons trusted Schwing Stetter India to be its partner in concreting this mega project.

Project details
The Pir Panjal tunnel or the Banihal railway tunnel is an 11,215 m (36,795 ft) long railway tunnel across the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir. The 11.215 km long (7 mile) Banihal railway tunnel will be India?s longest railway tunnel and Asia?s second longest railway tunnel. It is located in the north of the town Banihal. The great tunnel is located on the highest mountain pass on the Eastern Pir Panjal range in the middle of Himalayas.

This project perhaps, has been the most difficult railway line undertaken in the Indian subcontinent. The terrain passes through the Himalayas, which are full of geological surprises and numerous problems. This project has been subdivided into three sections. They are Udhampur-Katra, Katra-Quazigund and Quazigund-Srinagar-Baramulla.

Out of these three, Katra-Quazigund leg is considered to be the most difficult stretch of this project. The alignment of this stretch which is 129 km long, passes through Patni top and Pir Panjal ranges. In Katra-Qazigund leg, the greatest engineering challenges involve in crossing of the Chenab river, which involves building a 1,315 m (4,314 ft) long bridge at 359 m (1,178 ft) above the river bed and crossing of the Anji Khad, which involves building another 657 m (2,156 ft) long bridge at 186 m (610 ft) above the river bed. The Chenab Bridge will be the highest railway structure of its kind in the world, 35 m higher than the tip of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Both bridges are to be span bridges.Currently, construction work is in progress in Banihal-Katra section. In construction of Banihal-Katra section, Afcons have bagged three major segments of Project T - 74 R , Project T - 74 R B (South Portal), Project T - 49 B wherein Schwing Stetter India equipment in use at these projects are listed below:

The schedule T 49 B is divided into three locations such as Hingni, Kundan and Arpinchla.

Longevity of Schwing machines are well known wherein one of its nine year old, M 1 batching plant of 56 cu m/hr is being used in the third project. Before this, it has also served in Jammu road project from April 2011 to April 2014. Before reaching this project, it has produced more than 200,000 cu m of concrete and production in this project until January 2016 is 35,200 cu m.

The Pir Panjal railway tunnel is expected to be completed by 2019. Once completed, it will be India?s first-ever longest railway tunnel and second longest railway tunnel in Asia.

The progress of concrete production, placing without any hiccoughs has helped the project to progress as per the schedule. The process and the machines also consumed relatively lower energy and parts to achieve these results. This was possible only by Schwing Stetter?s state-of-the-art technology and reliable after sales support. Afcons is known for executing many mega projects and will achieve the distinction for executing this prestigious project.