JAMMU: In a major operational relief that will significantly enhance train punctuality on key northern corridors, Northern Railway’s Jammu Division has officially enhanced the permissible train speed limit on Railway Bridge No. 232 across the Kandrori–Pathankot Cantt block section from 30 kmph to 45 kmph.
The strategic bridge, situated in the Bhogpur Sirwal–Pathankot Cantt sector, had sustained severe damage to its protective walls and abutment foundations during the monsoon deluge of 2024. Railway safety authorities had initially clamped a stringent 20 kmph speed restriction across both the Up and Down lines from August 2024. During subsequent flash floods in 2025, the restriction was escalated to ‘Stop Dead’ and 10 kmph before being progressively eased to 20 kmph and 30 kmph.
Following the receding of floodwaters, Northern Railway’s Civil Engineering Department initiated extensive structural retrofitting and permanent stabilization works. Under the technical supervision of Senior Divisional Engineer (Jammu) Shubham Pawar, engineers constructed an advanced Reinforced Soil (RS) wall on the Jalandhar end up to 309 metres above Mean Sea Level, permanently safeguarding the bridge abutments against heavy river currents.
Following rigorous structural load testing and track stability audits, authorities approved the speed upgrade to 45 kmph, marking the first substantial relaxation on this vulnerable stretch in nearly three years.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Jammu, Vivek Kumar, hailed the milestone, emphasizing that the completed works reflect the operational resilience and safety culture of the division. He noted that removing the persistent bottleneck will alleviate track congestion, minimize running delays for passenger and express trains, and ensure safer journeys across the Jammu-Punjab rail link.
Published by True Roots Media