Jammu, June 06, 2025.
Today marks a historic day for Jammu and Kashmir, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Rail Bridge. This bridge is situated over the Chenab River in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir and forms part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. This mega-project has a total cost of approximately ₹46,000 crore, encompassing the Chenab Bridge, Anji Bridge, and Vande Bharat train services.
This 1.3-kilometre-long railway bridge stands 359 metres above the Chenab River bed, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris and approximately five times the height of the Qutub Minar in Delhi. Its construction cost is reported to be around ₹1,486 crore. The bridge is capable of withstanding strong winds of 266 km/h and earthquakes of up to 8 on the Richter scale. Built with a blast-proof design and 30,000 tonnes of steel, this bridge is expected to last for 125 years.
The Chenab Bridge will connect the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country throughout the year, overcoming the challenges previously posed by snowfall and landslides during winter. The journey from Katra to Srinagar will be reduced to just 3 hours via Vande Bharat Express, saving 2-3 hours of travel time. This improved connectivity will boost tourism, trade, and economic development.
