Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the world's highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, on June 6, announced Union Minister Jitendra Singh today (June 3). The bridge is a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) and stands tall as a testament to India's engineering marvel.
In a post on X, Singh shared the news, stating, "History in the making... Just 3 days to go! The mighty Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway bridge, stands tall in Jammu and Kashmir. Part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL). Built to withstand nature's toughest tests. PM Modi to inaugurate the #ChenabBridge on 6th June, 2025. A proud symbol of New India's strength and vision!"
Here's the first glimpse of Chenab Bridge | VIDEO
The world's highest railway arch, the iconic Chenab Bridge, will be part of this Katra-to-Sangaldan stretch, paving the way for a direct rail link between New Delhi and Kashmir through Katra.
Located in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, this engineering wonder rises 359 meters above the Chenab riverbed. Its inclusion will mark the historic moment when the Kashmir Valley is connected to the rest of India by rail for the first time.
It marks a transformative chapter in India's infrastructural landscape, promising greater connectivity, economic growth, and social integration in the region.
All you need to know about the Chenab Bridge
- The Chenab bridge, an engineering marvel, is an arched steel and concrete structure connecting Baramulla to Jammu via the Udhampur-Katra-Qazigund route, with a travel time of approximately six-and-a-half hours.
- Its height is 359 meters, and this bridge is capable of withstanding winds blowing at speeds greater than 250 kilometers per hour.
- Standing 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the bridge is designed to withstand a blast of up to 40 kg of TNT and an earthquake of magnitude 8 on the Richter scale. It can also endure winds of up to 260 km/h and has an estimated lifespan of 120 years.
- Around 30,000 metric tons of steel have been used in its construction. The length of this Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) is around 272 kilometres. Out of these 272 km, nearly 36 tunnels have been constructed with a length of nearly 119 km. There are approximately 1,000 bridges in this project.
- The bridge has successfully cleared all essential safety and durability tests, including those for high-velocity winds, extreme temperatures, seismic activity, and hydrological challenges.
- Construction of the bridge began in 2002 but was halted in 2008-09 to address safety concerns for rail passengers due to high-velocity winds in the area. The project was completed in 2024.
- On June 20 this year, Indian Railways successfully conducted a trial run of an eight-coach MEMU train on the Chenab bridge, paving the way for the start of rail services on the route from Reasi to Baramulla in Kashmir.
- The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which includes the 48.1-km-long Banihal-Sangaldan section, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 20, 2024.
- Phase I of the project, covering the 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla section, was inaugurated in October 2009 under the Congress-led UPA government. Subsequent phases included the inauguration of the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund section in June 2013 and the 25-km Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014.
(With agencies input)
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