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Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
World's Tallest Railway Bridge Opens With Trains 1,178ft Above the Ground
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Trains have begun operating across the world's tallest railway arch bridge, the Chenab Rail Bridge, which towers 1,178 feet above the Chenab River in India. The bridge, located in the Reasi district, officially opened on Friday, June 6, after an inauguration ceremony led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Jammu and Kashmir region this morning. Why It Matters The Chenab Rail Bridge's completion bridges links Kashmir to the rest of India via railway for the first time. Modi's inauguration of the bridge underlines India's hold on Kashmir just weeks after an insurgent attack on tourists in Pahalgam killed 26 people and prompted the biggest confrontation in decades with Pakistan, which India blamed for the attack despite its denials. Chenab bridge, the world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 6, 2024. Chenab bridge, the world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 6, 2024. Getty Images What To Know The Chenab Rail Bridge is a steel and concrete structure stretching 4,314 feet across the Chenab River gorge. Its main deck is raised 1,178 feet above the riverbed, making it both the highest rail bridge and the tallest arch bridge on the planet. This structure is taller than France's Eiffel Tower in height, and its opening coincided with the launch of new Vande Bharat Express trains on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. The bridge was designed by WSP Finland and built under the supervision of the Konkan Railway Corporation. Blast-proof steel and self-compacting concrete were used in its construction due to seismic risks and security concerns. The bridge is engineered to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8 and wind speeds up to 266 km/h (165 miles per hour) A graph comaparing the height of the Chenab Rail Bridge to other landmarks. A graph comaparing the height of the Chenab Rail Bridge to other landmarks. Flourish Unlike a suspension bridge, arch bridges are more rigid and less flexible under pressure, but are better for supporting heavy loads like trains. Construction took place in a section of the Himalayan mountains, which complicated the transport of materials and machinery. The Chenab Bridge will complete the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, a 169-mile project aimed at integrating Kashmir Valley with the rest of India. The bridge's completion is expected to stimulate tourism, improve logistics for agriculture and industry, and enhance military mobility where needed. The Chenab bridge overtook the Najiehe Railway Bridge in Guizhou, China, which is 310 meters tall (1,017 feet) and had been the tallest rail bridge since its opening in 2016. The bridging of the Chenab has been discussed since the late 1970s. The foundation for broader railway integration in Kashmir was laid in 1983, with significant progress only materializing in the 2000s. After numerous delays for safety and design reassessment, the main arch was completed in April 2021. What People Are Saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the inauguration event, said: "The Tricolour flies high over the Chenab Rail Bridge! It's a feeling of immense pride that this bridge seamlessly blends ambition with execution, reflecting India's growing capability to build futuristic infrastructure in the most challenging terrains. The world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir on July 6, 2024. The world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir on July 6, 2024. Getty Images "The inauguration of mega infrastructure projects today marks a turning point in Jammu and Kashmir's development journey." What Happens Next Regular passenger trains, including Vande Bharat Express services, are now set to operate along the USBRL with the Chenab Bridge as a central link.
The Independent
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
India opens world's highest railway arch bridge built with 28,000 tonnes of steel
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, the World 's tallest railway arch bridge at 359m above the Chenab River, 35m taller than the Eiffel Tower, connecting Kashmir to the rest of India via rail. The 1,315m bridge, part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, was built with over 28,000 tonnes of Steel, designed to last 120 years, and can withstand high winds (up to 266kmph) and seismic activity (up to magnitude 8). Engineering challenges included stabilising slopes in the fractured Himalayan geology, with G Madhavi Latha from the Indian Institute of Science advising on slope stabilisation and foundation design, requiring real-time construction plan modifications based on geological data. Construction involved building 26km of new roads to transport heavy machinery to the remote site, with the USBRL project costing Rs437.8bn (£3.7bn) and the Chenab Bridge alone costing approximately Rs14.86bn (£128m). The Chenab Bridge, designed with contributions from Indian and international firms, including WSP Finland and Leonhardt Andrä und Partner, aims to significantly reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to three hours via the Vande Bharat Express.
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First Post
06-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
The Chenab Bridge: The making of world's highest railway bridge that can weather an earthquake
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway bridge, in Jammu and Kashmir today. This structure, constructed for Rs 1,486 crore, is an engineering marvel; it's been built high up in the mountains — it's actually 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and designed to withstand a powerful earthquake or a 40 kg-TNT blast read more Chenab Rail Bridge, world's highest railway bridge, over the Chenab river in Reasi district. It is part of Indian railways' Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project. PTI It's been called an engineering marvel, a man-made wonder, a symbol of naya Kashmir. But the many adjectives still fail to capture the masterpiece that is the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6. The world's highest railway arch bridge, located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project (USBRL), that aims to boost connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ahead of the big day, we take a closer look at how the Chenab Bridge is indeed a remarkable feat of engineering and how it's been designed to withstand earthquakes and a whopping 40 kg-TNT blast. Designed in Finland, executed in India The Chenab Bridge, touted to be the world's highest railway bridge, has been designed by WSP Finland with German firm Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner designing the bridge arches, and Vienna Consulting Engineers aiding in the design of the pylons. Once designed, the workers and engineers of Konkan Railway Corporation brought the plans to life. History in the making! The Chenab Bridge—the world's highest railway arch bridge—is now a reality! Spanning the Chenab River in J&K, it symbolizes India's infrastructural excellence. Prime Minister @narendramodi is all set to inaugurate the world's highest railway bridge — the… — DD News (@DDNewslive) June 4, 2025 And it has been no easy feat. Measuring 1,315 metres long, it is built over the Chenab river in the Kouri region of the Reasi district. What makes the bridge truly astounding is the fact that it stands high at 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the Chenab riverbed, making it the world's highest railway bridge. For those who want perspective — 359 metres is about 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The bridge construction involved 28,660 metric tonne of steel, 10 lakh cubic metre earthwork, 66,000 metre of concrete and 26 km of motorable roads. According to those involved in the building of the Chenab Bridge, the overall weight of the arch is a whopping 10,619 metric tonnes. The construction of this bridge has been an expensive affair too; it's taken Rs 1,456 crores and at its peak a whopping 3,200 workers and engineers working simultaneously. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Once inaguruated and open to use, the Chenab Bridge will see trains being able to travel at speeds of up to 100 kmph on the bridge, with all necessary safety measures in place to ensure smooth and secure travel. The Chenab Bridge stands high at 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the Chenab riverbed, making it the world's highest railway bridge. Image Courtesy: DD News/X Chenab Bridge built to sustain quakes and explosions The Chenab Bridge isn't just beautiful to look at. It's also the culmination of the best engineering minds in the country. Realising that the bridge will be built high up in the seismically active mountains, experts from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee studied the rock slopes and then suggested ways to ensure that the construction wouldn't collapse in case of a quake. For instance, they stabilised the slopes using used three techniques: grouting, anchor blocking, and shotcrete. Moreover, the Chenab Bridge's rail deck is isolated from its substructure using spherical bearings. It is this isolation that the rail deck and the train experience minimal impact from the earthquake. All of these steps taken during construction now ensures that the bridge can withstand an earthquake measuring a whopping eight on the Richter scale. Additionally, it can withstand high wind speeds of up to 266 km/hour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Chenab Bridge has been built with 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel. Image Courtesy: Speaking on the sturdiness of bridge, Chief Engineer (Coordination) R K Hegde of Konkan Railways told news agency PTI, 'It can withstand high-intensity blasts of up to 40 kg of TNT and an earthquake. Even after the blast, a train can run at a speed on 30 kmh.' Explaining further, he said that the bridge has been built with 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel owing to Jammu and Kashmir's tendency to witness multiple terror attacks. He added, 'It is for the first time that self-compacting concrete is being used for filling steel boxes and ends of plate girders.' Design firm WSP has also used Tekla software in the construction of the Chenab Bridge. Tekla structures is a software used in the construction industry, primarily for structural engineering and detailing, particularly for steel and concrete structures. It allows professionals to create, manage, and share 3D models, from conceptual design to fabrication, promoting accuracy and efficiency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People involved in the construction note that the bridge's life is estimated to be 120 years. To ensure its longevity, corrosion-resistant paint has been used. Moreover, it has been equipped with an online safety monitoring system for real-time alerts. The Chenab Bridge construction involves 28,660 metric tonnes of steel, 10 lakh cubic metre earthwork, 66,000 metre of concrete. Image Courtesy: Ministry of Railways/X A bridge many years in the making The inauguration of the Chenab Bridge by PM Modi comes several years after the project was initially announced. Construction on the bridge began in 2004 but alignment and safety concerns delayed progress. Work resumed after design adjustments in 2010. The deck was joined to the steel arch in April 2021, followed by the deck joining in August 2022. In June last year, the Indian Railways carried out a successful trial run of an eight-coach Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train on the famed Chenab Bridge. The trial on June 21, began at 12.35 pm from Sangaldan and reached Reasi at 2.05 pm, traversing nine tunnels spanning 40.787 km, including the longest tunnel T-44 stretching 11.13 km. With inputs from agencies
