Afcons Infrastructure has successfully completed the launching of a massive 1,200-tonne structural steel girder on the high-altitude Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, executing one of the most technically challenging heavy civil operations in modern rail history over a deep Himalayan gorge.
Working in extreme conditions characterised by high-velocity wind shear and sub-zero temperatures, the Afcons engineering team used advanced incremental launching techniques to push the colossal steel span fabricated entirely from specialised high-tensile, cold-resistant steel across massive concrete piers situated hundreds of metres above the valley floor. The entire launch was continuously monitored using real-time automated structural sensors and calibrated hydraulic jacking systems.
The successful launch marks a critical breakthrough for the USBRL megaproject, establishing the structural backbone required to physically link the Kashmir Valley to the broader Indian railway network. For the heavy EPC sector, the operation validates India’s indigenous capabilities in complex bridge engineering, setting a benchmark for executing large-scale infrastructure projects in challenging mountainous terrain.
