India claims the Chenab bridge to be world’s highest railway bridge. The bridge, in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, is perched between two hill slopes at a height similar to an 85-storey tower. It stands at a height of 359 m., making it taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
It is expected to open by January-February 2024. The plan is to run Vande Bharat trains along the stretch and also Vande Metro trains between Jammu and Srinagar. This will reduce the travelling time between the two towns to 3.5 hours.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted a trolley inspection across the bridge and supervised the construction work of the tunnels.
The foundation of the bridge has been built to sustain an earthquake measuring up to eight on the Richter scale. About 28,000 tonnes of steel has been used to construct the arch bridge.
Owing to the strong foundation of the bridge, the superstructure of the bridge will be isolated from any potential impact. While typically tunnels are D-shaped, Himalayan tunnels need a horse-shoe shape of curvature. The elliptical shape helps ward off loose soil as the area is prone to frequent landslides.
Reporting: Maitri Porecha
Voiceover & Production: Abhinaya Sriram
