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EYE ON INDIA JUNE 13, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

SPANNING DREAMS

How India Built the World’s Highest

Rail Bridge in Kashmir

Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chenab Railway Bridge and Anji Bridge are engineering

marvels that promise to transform connectivity, boost development, and spark new hope in Jammu and Kashmir

OUR BUREAU
Jammu
n a historic day for Jammu and Kashmir and
Indian engineering, Prime Minister Nar-
Oendra Modi inaugurated two monumental
infrastructure projects in Reasi district: the Chenab
Railway Bridge—the highest railway arch bridge
in the world—and the Anji Bridge, India’s first ca-
ble-stayed railway bridge. Together, they form the
crown jewels of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla
Rail Link (USBRL) project, bringing the Kashmir
Valley closer than ever to the rest of India.
The USBRL project, spanning 272 kilometers
and built at a cost of `43,780 crore, is not merely
a transportation upgrade; it’s a symbol of national
unity, resilience, and ambition. From surmounting
seismic challenges to setting new engineering bench-
marks, the project reflects the Indian Railways’ will
to challenge the impossible.
Constructing the Chenab and Anji bridges was
no easy feat. With the Chenab Bridge soaring 359
metres above the riverbed—taller than the Eiffel
Tower—the team faced some of the most complex Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves the Tiranga as he inaugurates Chenab bridge - the world’s highest railway arch bridge, in
geological and climatic conditions in India. Located Reasi on Friday (ANI)
in a seismic zone and surrounded by steep terrain,
the project demanded extraordinary innovation. and concrete,” said Prime Minister Modi, “They are economic growth.
Ashwani Dayal, Joint General Manager at IR- symbols of India’s engineering spirit and a bright fu- For decades, the dream of connecting Kashmir
CON, noted that political challenges, harsh weather, ture for Jammu and Kashmir.” to the Indian railway network was a distant one. Gen-
and motivating workers to relocate to remote sites The Anji and Chenab bridges are part of a erations of residents, including former Chief Min-
were among the key hurdles. “It was a challenging broader strategy to build all-weather, year-round ister Omar Abdullah, had waited for it since their
project, both politically and in terms of engineer- connectivity in the region. The USBRL features 36 school days. “Today the dream of lakhs of people of
ing,” he said. “We also had to motivate people to tunnels and 943 bridges, enabling seamless transport J-K has been fulfilled,” Modi said during his address.
come here and work. That was no small task.” even through tough winter conditions that often cut Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also called
The project’s tunnels and bridges feature cut- off the valley from the rest of India. it a “historic day,” remarking that the project suc-
ting-edge safety systems. These include fire-safe ca- More than just a marvel of modern engineering, ceeded by “working in harmony with nature” rath-
bles that can withstand up to 1000 degrees Celsius, the railway project is expected to be a game-changer er than trying to conquer it. The harmonious con-
escape doors, and unidirectional jet fans with auto- for Jammu and Kashmir’s economy. Improved con- struction approach ensured ecological balance even
matic sensors to ventilate tunnels. To bring in the nectivity will make the region more accessible for while pushing the frontiers of technology.
required heavy machinery, IRCON also constructed trade, tourism, education, and healthcare. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation
a 270-kilometre service road, which now serves local The Vande Bharat trains are specially equipped stone for a new medical college and announced
communities as an additional transport link—ex- to withstand the cold climate of the valley and are projects worth `46,000 crore, signaling a broader de-
tending the project’s benefits beyond the railway. expected to carry not just residents and tourists, but velopment push in the region. These initiatives, he
Until now, the Kashmir Valley had been exclud- also a steady stream of pilgrims to religious sites said, are “new blessings” for the people of Jammu
ed from India’s vast railway network. The new line like Vaishno Devi, boosting spiritual tourism. The and Kashmir and an embodiment of “India’s unity
connects it directly with New Delhi via Katra and Chenab Bridge itself is likely to become a tourist at- and willpower.”
Sangaldan, reducing travel time significantly. With traction, given its status as the world’s tallest railway With railways finally chugging into the Kashmir
the introduction of two Vande Bharat Express trains bridge—surpassing even the Eiffel Tower. Valley, the region is poised to take its place as an
flagged off by the Prime Minister, the journey from “Now people will come to see Kashmir via integrated part of India’s economic and social fab-
Katra to Srinagar, which previously took 6–7 hours Chenab Bridge. This bridge will become an attrac- ric. The Chenab and Anji bridges are more than in-
by road, now takes just three hours by rail. tive tourist destination,” Modi noted. And with frastructural accomplishments—they represent the
“These bridges are not just structures of steel tourism comes investment, employment, and local end of isolation and the beginning of renewed hope.

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