World’s highest railway bridge nears completion

Agencies | New Delhi                                                    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The world’s highest railway bridge being built by Indian Railways is expected to be ready in the coming months. This arch bridge is an engineering marvel in the challenging terrain of Himalayas.

The Chenab bridge is part of the strategically important Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah (USBRL) railway link which will connect Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of India.

It is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the USBRL project is likely to be completed by December 2023 or January 2024. Vaishnaw said that the Vande Bharat Express train will run over the Chenab bridge and a maintenance facility for Vande Bharat trains will come up in Badgam.

The new Vande Metro which is being developed for short-distance inter-city travel will also run between Jammu and Srinagar. The 1.3 km long bridge forms a very important link in the 111 km stretch from Katra to Banihal.

The track laying work on the bridge has been completed and on March 26 the Railway Minister inspected its progress on a track mounted vehicle. Many international agencies and premier Indian institutes like IIT Roorkee, IIT Delhi, DRDO and Geological Survey of India are providing expertise in planning and implementation of the bridge project.

The ambitious project is being executed by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd at an estimated cost of Rs 1486 crore. Built over a very challenging Himalayan terrain, the Chenab Bridge will have a design speed of 100 kmph for trains and a lifespan of 120 years. Once complete, the entire USBRL Railway project will join Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of India providing all weather connectivity.