Who is Dr. G Madhavi Latha, the geotechnical genius behind India's Chenab Bridge
The Chenab Railway Bridge in
Jammu and Kashmir
, upon its complete construction, became the world's highest railway single-arch bridge. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, this architectural marvel stands 359 meters above the Chenab River, surpassing even the Eiffel Tower in height.
Going across 1,315 meters, the bridge is an important component of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, aiming to provide all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley. While the bridge itself is a symbol of engineering excellence, the journey to its completion was paved with challenges.
At the forefront of this endeavor was Dr. G Madhavi Latha, a distinguished professor at the
Indian Institute of Science
(IISc), Bengaluru.
Her expertise and dedication were important in overcoming the region's complex geological and environmental hurdles.
Who is Dr. G Madhavi Latha?
Dr. G Madhavi Latha is a renowned figure in the field of civil engineering, specialising in geotechnical and rock engineering. She completed her B.Tech in Civil Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in 1992, followed by an M.Tech from NIT Warangal. In 2000, she earned her Ph.D.
in Geotechnical Engineering from IIT Madras.
Before joining IISc in 2004, she served as a faculty member at IIT Guwahati. At IISc, she became the first female faculty member in the Civil Engineering Department. The professor said on the IISc website, "Back then, there were no exclusive toilets for women in the department. I had to really fight to get a women's toilet in the geotechnical engineering building."
Over the years, Dr.
Latha has received numerous accolades, including the Best Woman Geotechnical Researcher award from the Indian Geotechnical Society in 2021 and recognition among the 'Top 75 Women in STEAM' in India in 2022.
What was her role in the Chenab Railway Bridge Project?
Dr. Latha's involvement in the Chenab Railway Bridge project spanned 17 years, during which she served as a geotechnical consultant. Her primary responsibility was to address the tough challenges posed by the region's rugged terrain and unpredictable geological conditions.
The project's success hinged on innovative solutions to stabilise slopes, design strong foundations, and ensure the structural toughness of the bridge.
A notable area of Dr. Latha's approach was the adoption of a 'design-as-you-go' method. This strategy allowed her team to respond dynamically to unforeseen geological anomalies, such as fractured rocks and hidden cavities. As she noted in her
paper
'Design as You Go: The Case Study of Chenab Railway Bridge', "Construction of a civil engineering marvel like the Chenab bridge posed many challenges from planning to completion.
A rigid design with fixed dimensions and pre-determined solutions would not have been feasible."
Her team's efforts included the installation of rock anchors and the implementation of slope stabilisation techniques to withstand seismic activities and extreme weather conditions. These interventions were crucial in ensuring the bridge's resilience and longevity.
IISc acknowledged Dr. Latha's contributions on X, stating, 'We are proud of Prof Madhavi Latha & her team's contribution to the Chenab Bridge inaugurated by Hon'ble PM Narendra Modi. The team worked on stability of slopes, design & construction of foundations, design of slope stabilisation systems, incl. rock anchors to withstand hazards.'
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