Chenab bridge opens tomorrow: Why the world's highest rail arch bridge is a big deal for India

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PM Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Chenab bridge on Friday (June 6) in Jammu and Kashmir. Built at a cost of about Rs 1,400 crore between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district, the railway bridge is a part of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. Here's why it matters read more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Chenab rail bridge on Friday (June 6) in Jammu and Kashmir. He will also flag off two specially designed Vande Bharat trains between Srinagar and Katra.
Touted as the world's highest railway arch bridge, the Chenab rail bridge is a part of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. It could be a game-changer for India. Here's how.
Chenab bridge
Built at a cost of about Rs 1,400 crore between Bakkal and Kauri in J&K's Reasi district, the Chenab bridge stands 359 metres above the river bed level. It is 35 metres taller than the Paris' Eiffel Tower and roughly five times the height of Qutub Minar.
The architectural marvel has been built across a gorge of the Chenab Bridge in Reasi.
It is part of the all-weather railway line – USBRL – that will pass from Jammu to the Kashmir Valley.
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The construction of the Chenab bridge was greenlit in 2003. However, there were several challenges to building the bridge due to the region's harsh terrain, safety concerns and court cases.
One of the biggest obstacles was to construct it without blocking the flow of the Chenab River.
Engineers had to walk on foot or by mule to work on the infrastructure project during the early stages of construction. 'Logistics was another major challenge given the inaccessibility of the location and the narrow roads. Many of the components of the bridge were built and fabricated on site,' Giridhar Rajagopalan, deputy managing director of Afcons Infrastructure, told BBC.
Chenab Rail Bridge, world's highest railway bridge, over the Chenab river in Reasi district, March 26, 2023. File Photo/PTI
The bridge's design and construction have been done by a joint venture comprising Afcons Infrastructure, South Korea-based Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, and VSL India.
With a lifespan of 120 years, the Chenab bridge can resist high-velocity winds with speeds up to 260 kmph, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and hydrological impacts if water levels rise.
The bridge, which can support trains running up to 100 km per hour, is also blast-proof as Afcons claims it can withstand high-intensity 'explosion of up to 40 kg of TNT' and trains could continue to run even if there was damage to a pillar, albiet at reduced speeds.
Why Chenab bridge is a big deal for India
The Chenab railway bridge will be a big strategic boost for India. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project will provide all-weather rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.
Earlier, the only land route linking the Valley to the rest of India was a 300-kilometer Srinagar-Jammu national highway. However, it has to be shut down often in winter when roads are blocked due to snowfall. Landslides also make the Jammu-Srinagar national highway inaccessible.
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'The rail bridge will permit the transport of military personnel and equipment around the year to the border areas,' Rajagopalan said to BBC.
The Chenab rail bridge , built as part of this project, will provide a safe and reliable way of crossing the Chenab River, which is vulnerable to flash floods and landslides.
Experts say the rail link could boost Kashmir's economy by facilitating trade. It will offer a hassle-free transport of goods such as apples, dry fruits, handicrafts, etc. to other parts of India.
The inauguration of the Chenab rail bridge also assumes significance as it comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, wherein 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
History in the making… Just 3 days to go!
The mighty #ChenabBridge, the world's highest railway bridge, stands tall in #JammuandKashmir.
Part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL). Built to withstand nature's toughest tests.
PM Sh @narendramodi to… pic.twitter.com/EQnC0m1per — Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) June 3, 2025
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The J&K government has since tried to promote tourism, which took a hit because of the April 22 massacre. A direct train between Jammu and Srinagar would be cheaper and reduce travel time, which is likely to give a fillip to tourism.
The travel time between Srinagar and Jammu will come down to between three and three-and-a-half hours from the five to six hours experienced during road travel.
The Chenab rail bridge could bring not just tourists but also hope to Kashmir.
With inputs from agencies