New Delhi, Apr 9: The iconic Chenab rail bridge doesn’t just connect two mountains but dreams, development, and a new era for Jammu and Kashmir, the Railway Ministry said on Wednesday.
On April 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat train from Jammu to Srinagar via Katra to mark the completion of the 272-kilometre Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link.
“Built in the geologically complex and unstable terrain of the Himalayas, the Chenab Bridge is more than a feat of infrastructure — it is a symbol of India’s grit, innovation, and unwavering resolve to bring progress to even the most remote corners,” Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, said in a release.
Sources said the steel of the bridge has been specially made by Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India. The bridge was made at Arcelor’s Hazira facility and expertly fabricated at Hazira fabrication shop.
“As it stands tall over the Chenab, the bridge doesn’t just connect two mountains – it connects dreams, development, and a new era for Jammu & Kashmir,” the release said.
The Railway Ministry said that stretching 1,315 metres across the Chenab River near the Salal Dam, the bridge features a main arch span of 467 metres, and can withstand wind speeds up to 266 kmph.
According to the ministry, the bridge surpasses the Eiffel Tower in height and is nearly five times taller than the Qutub Minar from riverbed to rail level.
“The construction of this engineering marvel involved over 28,000 metric tonnes of steel and introduced a first-of-its-kind cable crane system in Indian Railways — used to ferry materials across a 915-metre-wide gorge with two massive cable cars and pylons towering over 100 metres high,” Kumar said.
The bridge is a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project and it connects “not just terrain but aspirations — linking the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India with an all-weather, reliable rail route.”
The Anji Khad Bridge, spanning the Chenab River, is among the tallest and most impressive railway bridges globally. Rising 359 meters above the riverbed, its central pylon reaches 193 meters—30 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower—making it one of India’s tallest structures. With a total length of 725 meters and a 473-meter asymmetric cable, it is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
Linking Tunnel T2 in Katra to Tunnel T3 in Reasi, the bridge plays a key role in connecting the Kashmir region. The upcoming launch of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train is expected to transform transportation in the valley, enhancing economic links and boosting tourism.