Chenab Bridge, World’s Highest Railway Arch Bridge, Opened For Trains By PM Modi Today; Don’t Miss These Top 10 Facts & Stunning Photos

Chenab bridge, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, is a breathtaking sight! This Indian Railways bridge is also the world’s highest railway arch bridge. An engineering marvel, the Chenab river bridge forms a crucial link on the Udhampur - Srinagar - Baramulla Rail Link Project, finally connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country by train. Vande Bharat Express trains will run on the world-class Chenab bridge, connecting Katra to Srinagar to begin with. Constructing the world’s highest rail bridge in the challenging Himalayan terrain is no mean feat - which makes the Chenab bridge extra special. We take a look at some stunning facts and equally stunning photos of the Indian Railways Chenab bridge:

Chenab Bridge Height: Chenab bridge is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. Built at a height of 359 metres above the riverbed, the Chenab bridge is actually taller than the Eiffel Tower and Qutub Minar.

The Chenab river bridge stretches 1.3 kilometres or 1,315 metres in length. The bridge has a steel arch design and serves as a crucial connection between Jammu and Kashmir on the Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link.

Chenab Bridge construction has seen the use of structural steel designed to withstand temperature variations between minus 10 and 40 degrees celsius, demonstrating durability throughout the year's temperature fluctuations. The structural detailing process utilised the advanced 'Tekla' software platform, which facilitated exceptional accuracy in both the design phase and implementation stages, says Indian Railways.

Chenab Bridge Train Speed & Lifespan: Trains on Chenab bridge can run at a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour. The Indian Railways bridge has been engineered to withstand winds reaching 260 kilometres per hour and has a projected lifespan of 120 years.

Chenab Bridge Cost: The world-class Indian Railways bridge has been built at a cost of around Rs 1,486 crore. The project encountered setbacks in its completion timeline, primarily due to the challenging Himalayan landscape and severe weather patterns. The construction involved steel arch structures, and engineers accomplished the complex task of securing the bridge's foundation onto the mountain slopes.

The Chenab Bridge structure has been designed to be blast-resistant and capable of withstanding powerful earthquakes. Before the bridge construction began, workers completed 26 kilometres of approach roads and a 400-metre-long tunnel was made to access the construction site.

The Chenab bridge has been built within the challenging terrain of the Himalayas. It is between the Kauri and Bakkal ends of the USBRL line. The structure comprises 93 deck segments, with each segment weighing approximately 85 tonnes.

The world-class Chenab Bridge has been built under the supervision of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited. The construction of the Chenab bridge project has benefited from collaborative efforts of various global organisations and prestigious Indian establishments, including IITs, DRDO, and the Geological Survey of India.

Chenab Bridge has 17 spans with its main arch extending 467 metres, said to be the longest of its kind. Indian Railways has said that connecting the 467-metre-long arch span was the most crucial task. The construction demanded absolute precision to ensure both ends of the arch aligned perfectly.

Chenab River Bridge Trains: To begin with two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains are being launched from Katra to Srinagar. These will cross the Chenab river bridge as well.

Chenab bridge inauguration: The Vande Bharat Express trains will take less than 3 hours between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station and the Srinagar railway station. The road travel time is around 6 hours.