Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge – the tallest railway arch bridge in the world which is 35m taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Towering at 359m above the Chenab river in the Reasi district of the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the bridge is a key part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project and connects the Kashmir region with the rest of the country via an all-weather rail line.
CHENAB BRIDGE – AN ENGINEERING MARVEL
Built at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore, the Chenab Rail Bridge stands as the world’s highest railway bridge and a true feat of engineering. Rising 359 metres above the river, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and nearly five times the height of the Qutub Minar, the bridge was constructed using 28,660 megatonnes of steel capable of withstanding both sub-zero temperatures and extreme heat.
Designed to resist strong earthquakes, the bridge incorporates advanced safety features, including the ability for trains to continue operating at low speed even if a supporting pier is damaged.
This bridge is a big developement for Kashmiri people as they can now remain connected with rest of India via land in all weather. This bridge and the entire railway line is a marvel of construction as the most of it goes through some the steepest mountains at 3000+ feet elevation.
The USBRL project (the 272 Km railway lime connecting Jammu to Srinagar), built features 36 tunnels stretching 119 km and 943 bridges.
Another magnificent bridge on the railway line is Anji Khad Bridge
Built using advanced technology with an innovative design, the Anji bridge is 2,830 feet long and stands 1,086 feet above the ground. One of the most remarkable features is its main pylon, which rises 633 feet above its foundation and is among the highest buildings of its kind.
The Anji bridge, supported by 96 cables of varying lengths, has an asymmetrical design. In addition, it has a 12.3-foot-wide service road and about five foot-wide footpaths on both sides.
The Anji bridge is built to handle extreme weather conditions and wind speeds of up to 213 km/h - nearly as much as a cyclone. It's been designed to support trains travelling at speeds of up to 100 km/h.
Two daily trains have been employed on the route and the journey is pretty cheap as it will only cost around $8 for 1 side travel of more than 200 KMs. I and my brother have already made plans to travel in it in the winters as it will be most scenic once snow settles in the mountains. My brother said now we can have Switzerland or Austria like or may be even more pictursque train travel here in India. So why not!!