Why Chenab Rail Bridge, the world's tallest, is an engineering marvel?

 PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir today. PM also inaugurated first Vande Bharat train to Kashmir 

The Week News, June 06, 2025 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir on Friday and inaugurated the Chenab Rail Bridge and various other development projects. This is his first visit to the Union territory after the Pahalgam terorr attack. 

The Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, was constructed as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.  India’s first cable-stayed bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, is also part of the key rail link connecting Kashmir with the rest of India. The 272-kilometre Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) comprises of 36 tunnels and 943 bridges.

The Chenab bridge, constructed over the Chenab river, was built at a cost of Rs 1400 crore. The bridge, built with a steel arch design, stands at a height of 359 metres and runs at a length of 1.3 kilometres. The project was overseen by the Konkan Railway Corporation and construction was a joint venture between Afcons Infrastructure, South Korean Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, and VSL India. 

The design and foundation of the project saw the collaboration of several organisations including the IITs, the Geological Survey of India, the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the WSP Group from Finland and Leonhardt Andra from Germany, who designed the arch of the bridge.

It was considered a challenging project due to the extreme temperature fluctuations and harsh landscape of the region. The bridge is designed to withstand the high-speed winds, geological conditions and earthquakes that might occur in the valley.

The prime minister also flagged off the first Vande Bharat train to Kashmir, the Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat Express. The trains are also specially designed for the weather conditions of the region with heating pads and a heated plumbing pipeline which will prevent water from freezing. The lookout glass is also freeze-proof to ensure visibility.

The projects are expected to contribute significantly to tourism and boost employment and the economy, especially after the Pahalgam terror attack which led to a drop in tourist activities in the region.