NCR Modernizes 73-Year-Old Bridge 131: A Speed Boost for the Chunar-Chopan Coal Corridor

Prayagraj : In a major boost to regional freight efficiency and passenger safety, the North Central Railway (NCR) has successfully renovated the 73-year-old Bridge No. 131 on the critical Chunar-Chopan section. The aging steel structure, a relic from 1953, has been replaced with cutting-edge Pre-stressed Concrete (PSC) Girder Slabs.

Breaking the Speed Barrier
For years, the bridge operated under a restrictive speed limit of just 30 km/h due to its outdated 1926-era loading standards. The renovation upgrades the bridge to the Revised Broad Gauge (RBG) Loading-1976 standards, allowing it to handle significantly heavier axle loads.

This upgrade is set to transform the 100-kilometer Chunar-Chopan artery—a vital lifeline for transporting coal from the Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) in Singrauli to power plants across North India.

Engineering Excellence in Record Time
The project involved a complex reconfiguration of the bridge's spans to enhance structural integrity:

• Old Configuration: 5 Spans (4 x 9.15m + 1 x 18.3m)
• New Configuration: 6 Spans (4 x 9.15m + 2 x 8.67m)

Despite the technical challenges, the engineering team, led by Deputy Chief Bridge Engineer I.P.S. Yadav, completed the regirdering in record time. The first span was laid on February 27, 2026, and the final spans were secured by March 8, 2026.

General Manager Naresh Pal Singh and DRM Rajneesh Agarwal lauded the team for the safe and timely execution. The shift from steel to PSC slabs offers three primary advantages:

• Increased Speed: Faster transit for Mail, Express, and Passenger trains.
• Heavy Freight Capacity: Seamless handling of high-capacity coal rakes.
• Low Maintenance: PSC technology is significantly more durable and requires less frequent upkeep than traditional steel.