Misplaced Pages

#948051

29-646: The Banihal-Qazigund Railway Tunnel or Pir Panjal railway tunnel is an 11.215 kilometres (6.969 mi) long railway tunnel located in Pir Panjal Range of middle Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir , India , south of Qazigund town. It is a part of the Jammu–Baramulla line . The north portal of the railway tunnel is at 33°33′42″N 75°11′56″E  /  33.5617942°N 75.1988626°E  / 33.5617942; 75.1988626 and its south portal

58-659: A 4,414 metres (14,482 ft) mountain pass in the Chamba district connecting Chamba with the Pangi valley of Himachal Pradesh , India. Rohtang La (altitude 3,978 m (13,051 ft)) is a mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal range connecting Manali in the Kullu Valley to Keylong in the Lahaul Valley. The Jawahar Tunnel is a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long tunnel through Pir Panjal mountain under

87-904: A gradual elevation towards the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges. Pir Panjal is the largest and westernmost range of the Lesser Himalayas. Near the bank of the Sutlej River , it dissociates itself from the main Himalayan range and forms a divide between the Beas and Ravi rivers on one side and the Chenab on the other. Further west, the Pir Panjal range forms the southwestern boundary of the Kashmir Valley , separating it from

116-486: A height of 7.39 metres (24.2 ft). There is a three-metre-wide (9.8 ft) road along the length of the tunnel for the maintenance of railway tracks and emergency relief. It takes approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds for the train to pass through the tunnel. For a short time, Banihal-Qazigund Railway Tunnel was India's longest railway tunnel. Once completed, the 11.55 km long rail tunnel between Senapati and Imphal West districts on Jiribam–Imphal line will surpass

145-423: A new wider and longer tunnel has been planned at a lower elevation. Construction of a new 8.45 km (5.25 mi) long twin-tube Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel started in 2011 and was commissioned in 2021. The new tunnel is at a lower elevation than the existing Jawahar tunnel and has reduced the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km (9.9 mi). It is also less prone to snow avalanches as it

174-657: Is Shopian . The Munawar Pass (altitude 3,600 m (11,800 ft)) is a pass north of Peer Ki Gali, overlooking Rajouri. The Banihal pass (2,832 m (9,291 ft)) lies at the head of the Jhelum River at the southern end of the Kashmir Valley. Banihal and Qazigund lie on either side of the pass. The Sinthan pass connects the Kashmir valley with Kishtwar in the Jammu region. The Saach Pass ,

203-647: Is a range of mountains in the Lower Himalayan region located in the Western Himalayas of northern Indian subcontinent . It runs southeast to northwest between the Beas and Neelam/Kishanganga rivers, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir , with its northwestern end extending into territory administered by Pakistan. The Himalayas show

232-466: Is at 33°27′48″N 75°11′38″E  /  33.463203°N 75.193992°E  / 33.463203; 75.193992 . The average elevation of the railway tunnel is 1,760 m (5,770 ft) or about 440 m (1,440 ft) below the existing road tunnel, the Jawahar Tunnel , which is at elevation of about 2,194 m (7,198 ft). The tunnel is 8.40 metres (27.6 ft) wide with

261-652: Is at a lower elevation. The Atal Tunnel has been built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway . With 8.8 km (5.5 mi) length, the tunnel is the second longest road tunnel in India and has reduced the distance between Manali and Keylong by about 60 km (37 mi). The tunnel is at 3,100 metres (10,171 ft) elevation whereas

290-706: Is best seen from the Kangra Valley from where they seem to shoot up almost vertically. The elevation of the Dhauladhars ranges widely from 3,500 m to nearly 6,000 m. The highest peak in the range is the Hanuman Tibba , 5,982 metres (19,626 ft) above sea level. There are several peaks which are close to 5500 m (17,000 ft). From the banks of the Beas River in Kulu, the range curves towards

319-459: Is commonly referred to as the 'Dhauladhar Matterhorn', Christmas (4581 m), Toral (4686 m), Dromedary (4553 m), Riflehorn (4400 m), Lantern (5100 m), Arthur's Seat (4525 m), Camel (4520 m), Slab (4570 m), and several other named and unnamed peaks. Due to the position of the range it receives two monsoons a year with heavy rains; where the mountains have not been heavily logged, there are dense pine and Deodar forests. There are glacial lakes in

SECTION 10

#1732801321949

348-402: Is difficult, given the near vertical incline. This calls for highly technical trekking and mountaineering. There is very little habitation on the range given the harsh conditions. But meadows abound near the crest providing rich pastures for grazing where large numbers of Gaddi shepherds take their flocks. The top of the crest is buried under vast expanses of thick snow. Triund , approached from

377-543: Is now 137 kilometres (85 mi). Until the 148 kilometres (92 mi) Katra -Banihal section of Jammu–Baramulla line gets constructed, people can travel from Jammu Tawi or Udhampur to Banihal by road and take the train from Banihal to Srinagar through the Banihal railway tunnel. Pir Panjal Range The Pir Panjal Range ( Urdu pronunciation: [piːɾ pənd͡ʒːɑːl]  ; Kashmiri pronunciation: [piːr pãːt͡saːl] pronunciation )

406-619: Is the Indrahar Pass . At an altitude of 4,342 metres (14,245 ft) above mean sea level, near the tourist town of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, Indrahar Pass forms the border between Kangra and Chamba districts. It is part of a popular trekking route from Dharamshala Including Triund Trek , Mun Peak Expedition from the Indrahar Pass , Seven Lake Trek Lake starting from Kareri Lake , Kareri Lake Trek , Lam Dal Lake Trek increases substantial tourist traffic during

435-539: The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel as India's longest tunnel. The new Banihal - Qazigund tunnel for the Jammu–Baramulla line connecting Bichleri Valley of Banihal with Qazigund area of Kashmir Valley has been constructed as a part of its Udhampur - Srinagar - Baramulla rail link project. The boring was completed in four years in October 2011, its lining and laying of rail tracks was completed in

464-587: The Shivalik hills, to the north of Kangra and Mandi . Dharamsala , the headquarters of Kangra district and the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh , lies on its southern spur in the Kangra Valley . Chamba lies to the North of this range. The Dhauladhar range is one of the ranges of the Middle Himalayas . They begin from near Dalhousie at the northwest end of Himachal Pradesh and pass through

493-486: The Banihal pass connects Banihal with Qazigund on the other side of the mountain. The Jawahar Tunnel was named after the first Prime Minister of India was constructed in the early 1950s and commissioned in December 1956 to ensure snow-free passage throughout the year. It is at elevation of about 2,100 m (6,900 ft). It was designed for 150 vehicles per day but now used by more than 7,000 vehicles per day. Therefore,

522-912: The Bhagsunag Temple and is considered sacred. It is dedicated to the Nag Devta or the Lord King Cobra. The other beautiful lakes are the Chanderkup Dal above the Lam Dal , Kareri Lake below the Minkaini Pass, Dehnasar Lake across the Sari Pass and the very sacred Kali Kund just 150 m below the Lam Dal at an elevation of 3900 m and approachable from Minkiani Pass (4250 metres). One of the major passes across this range

551-608: The Dhauladhars. Prominent among them is the Lam Dal which is the biggest with a circumference of about 2.5 km. It is a very sacred lake and considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva alongside Manimahesh Lake . Each year pilgrims take a holy dip in August and September just when the Manimahesh yatra begins. There are other very sacred lakes like the Nag Dal/Nag Chattri Dal. This lake owes its history to

580-567: The Mahabharata regions in western Punjab and southern Kashmir. Scholar Dineshchandra Sircar has analysed the geography described in the Shakti ‐sangama Tantra , where this is indeed the case. Scholar M. A. Stein believes that the concept of deity must have been translated into that of a Pir after the region was Islamised. Deo Tibba (6,001 m (19,688 ft)) and Indrasan (6,221 m (20,410 ft)) are two important peaks at

609-635: The Rohtang pass is at 3,978 metres (13,051 ft) elevation. Lying on the Manali-Leh axis, this is one of the two routes to Ladakh. The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel , an 11.215 kilometres (6.969 mi) railway tunnel, passes through the Pir Panjal Range in Jammu and Kashmir. It connects Quazigund and Banihal and is a part of the Udhampur -Srinagar- Baramulla railway project. The tunnel

SECTION 20

#1732801321949

638-672: The eastern end of the mountain range. They can be approached from both the Parvati -Beas Valley (Kulu District), Upper Belt of Chamba Himachal Pradesh and the Chandra (Upper Chenab) Valley ( Lahaul and Spiti District) in Himachal Pradesh. The hill station of Gulmarg in Kashmir lies in this range. Haji Pir Pass (altitude 2,637 m (8,652 ft)) on the western Pir Panjal range on the road between Poonch and Uri in Indian-administered Kashmir . Despite taking

667-533: The hill station of McLeod Ganj , is the nearest and most accessible snow line in the Indian Himalayas. The range has rich flora and fauna. Peaks, virgin and scaled, have drawn mountaineers from all over the world. Some of the well-known ones are Mun (4610 m) near Dharamshala, Manimahesh Kailash ( मणिमहेश कैलाश ) (5653 m) in the sacred Manimahesh region, Gauri Junda (4946 m), near the Talang pass, which

696-578: The hills of Jammu region, forming a divide between the Jhelum and Chenab rivers. The Pir Panjal range is named after the Pir Panjal Pass , whose original name as recorded by Srivara , is Panchaladeva ( IAST : Pāñcāladeva , meaning the deity of Panchala ). Panchala is a country mentioned in the Mahabharata in the northwest Uttar Pradesh . However, there are also traditions that place

725-488: The next one year and trial run commenced on 28 December 2012. The tunnel was commissioned on 26 June 2013 and commercial runs started from 27 June 2013. The rail tunnel reduces the distance between Quazigund and Banihal by 17 kilometres (11 mi) (from 35 kilometres (22 mi) by road to 17.5 kilometres (10.9 mi) by train). Banihal railway station is situated at 1,702 m (5,584 ft) above mean sea level. The railway network in Kashmir from Banihal to Baramulla

754-473: The pass twice in military operations (in 1948 and 1965 ), India left the pass under Pakistani control. The Pir Panjal Pass (also called Peer Ki Gali ) connects the Kashmir valley with Rajouri and Poonch via the Mughal Road. It is the highest point of the Mughal Road at 3,490 m (11,450 ft) and lies to the southwest of the Kashmir Valley. The nearest town to the pass in the Kashmir valley

783-507: The state to the vicinity of the bank of the Beas River in the Kulu district of Himachal Pradesh. They begin to merge with the Pir Panjal near Manali . They are entirely in Himachal Pradesh. They are distinctive in their typical dark granite rocky formations with a remarkably steep rise culminating in sharp streaks of snow and ice at the top of their crested peaks. This distinctive profile

812-470: The town of Mandi , Himachal Pradesh, India. Then, running north, it passes through Bada Bhangal, joins the PIr Panjal Range and moves into Chamba. The Dhauladhars have a peculiar topography. Although mostly composed of granite , the flanks of the range exhibit frequent formations of slate (often used for the roofs of houses in the region), limestone and sandstone . Ascending from any side

841-401: Was commissioned on 26 June 2013 for regular service. It is India's longest railway tunnel. 33°53′36″N 74°29′19″E  /  33.89333°N 74.48861°E  / 33.89333; 74.48861 Dhauladhar Dhauladhar ( Hindi : धौलाधार ) ( lit.   ' The White Range ' ) is a mountain range which is part of a lesser Himalayan chain of mountains. It rises from

#948051