Chenab Bridge: What Went Into Building the World's Tallest, Most Challenging Railway Bridge.

The Chenab Bridge: A Feat of Engineering

On Friday, June 6, 2025, a landmark moment in India's infrastructural history unfolded with the inauguration of the Chenab Railway Bridge. This event was officiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also flagged off two specially designed Vande Bharat trains, marking the culmination of the most challenging phase of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (USBRL) project. The bridge stands as a powerful symbol of national ambition and engineering ingenuity, finally realizing a 42-year-old vision to provide seamless rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.

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Marvel of Modern Engineering

Built at an approximate cost of Rs 1,400 crore, the Chenab Bridge holds the distinction of being the highest railway bridge in the world. Its deck stands at an impressive height of 359 meters above the riverbed, making it 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The bridge's total length is 1,315 meters, a composite structure of steel and concrete comprising a 530-meter approach viaduct and a 785-meter main arch bridge. It is widely regarded as one of India's most recent and spectacular achievements in civil engineering.

Overcoming Immense Construction Challenges

The journey to erect this colossal structure was fraught with difficulties. Situated between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district, the bridge lies in a Zone-V seismic area, a region highly prone to earthquakes and characterized by fractured and complex geology. This presented unprecedented design and construction hurdles. One of the primary engineering challenges was to build this massive structure without impeding the natural flow of the mighty Chenab River below. Furthermore, the construction site's remote and isolated location, lacking initial road links, posed a significant logistical nightmare for transporting heavy machinery, materials, and personnel.

Collaborative Expertise

The successful completion of the Chenab Bridge is a testament to a remarkable collaborative effort involving a consortium of national and international experts. The project was overseen by the Konkan Railway Corporation.

• Design and Construction: The core design and construction contract was awarded to a joint venture comprising India's Afcons Infrastructure, South Korea-based Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, and VSL India.

• International Design Expertise: The Finland-based WSP Group and Germany's Leonhardt Andra and Partners were responsible for designing the viaduct and foundations, and the main arch, respectively.

• National Academic Powerhouses: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, contributed by preparing the design for the bridge's foundation protection. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in Delhi and Roorkee conducted crucial slope stability and seismic analyses to ensure the structure's resilience.

• Defence and Material Support: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) played a vital role in making the bridge blast-proof. The Steel Authority of India (SAIL) supplied the vast quantities of specialized steel required, while the Swiss company Mageba provided the sophisticated spherical stopper bearings.

Advanced Construction and Safety Features

The construction process was executed in meticulous stages, utilising cutting-edge technology. The sophisticated Tekla software was employed to create detailed 3D models of the structure, aiding in precision engineering. The project involved the fabrication of 28,660 metric tonnes of steel and the construction of 26 kilometers of motorable roads just to access the site.

The bridge is designed for exceptional durability and safety, engineered to have a lifespan of 120 years. Its design allows for trains to travel at speeds up to 100 km per hour. The structure is built to withstand earthquakes of a magnitude up to 8 on the Richter scale and can resist high-intensity explosions equivalent to 40 tonnes of TNT. The steel used can endure temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius and wind speeds up to 266 km per hour. In a remarkable feat of structural engineering, the bridge is designed to remain operational, albeit at a restricted speed of 30 km per hour, even after the removal of one of its piers.

The inauguration of the Chenab Bridge and the final 63-km Katra-Sangaldan section of the USBRL project does more than just open a new railway line. It overcomes one of the most significant geographical barriers in the country, fostering economic development, boosting tourism, and strengthening the integration of the Kashmir region with the rest of India. This bridge is not merely steel and concrete; it is a symbol of connection, resilience, and a unified nation's unwavering resolve.