Chenab Rail Bridge

Chenab Rail Bridge
Chenab Railway Arch bridge in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir, India in 2023
Coordinates33°9′3″N 74°52′59″E / 33.15083°N 74.88306°E / 33.15083; 74.88306
CarriesIndia
CrossesChenab River between Bakkal and Kauri
Maintained byNorthern Railways
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
MaterialSteel and Concrete
Total length1,315 m (4,314 ft)[1]
Height(river bed to formation) 359 m (1,178 ft)[1]
Longest span467 m (1,532 ft)
No. of spans17
History
DesignerKonkan Railway, Afcons Infrastructure & DRDO
Constructed by
OpeningDecember 2022[2]
Inaugurated13 August 2022[3]
Location
Map
Udhampur–Srinagar–
Baramula Rail Link (USBRL)
Legend
km
338
 Baramulla
Uri (inprogress)
(inprogress)
Kupwara Line (inprogress)
 
Kupwara
Bandipora Line
(proposed)
330
 Sopore
323
 Hamre
315
 Pattan
307
 Mazhom
297
 Nadigam
Budgam–Leh–Bhanupli line
(planned)
292
 Budgam
281
 Srinagar
275
 Pampore
Jhelum Bridge
269
 Kakapora
264
 Ratnipora
259
 Awantipora
252
 Panzgom
Shopian Line
(inprogress)
245
 Bijbehara
to Pahalgam (inprogress)
238
 Anantnag
231
 Sadura
226
 Qazigund
Hillar Shahabad
Banihal-Qazigund
Railway Tunnel
(
11.2 km
7 mi
)
208
 Banihal
Tunnel T74R (
8.6 km
5.3 mi
)
 Khari
Tunnel T49 (
12.75 km
7.92 mi
)
 Sumber
Tunnel T48 (
10.2 km
6.3 mi
)
Sangaldan Tunnels (
7 km
4 mi
)
 Sangaldan
Sawalkote
Dugga
Kauri Halt
Chenab Rail Bridge
 Bakkal
Reasi
Anji Khad Bridge
78
Shri Mata Vaishno
Devi Katra
62
 Chak Rakhwal
Bhaderwah Line
(planned)
53
 Udhampur
44
 Ramnagar
Tawi Bridge
22
 Manwal
14
 Sangar
10
 Bajalta
Poonch line
(planned)
0
 Jammu Tawi
Jalandhar–Jammu line
km
This diagram:

The Chenab Rail Bridge is a steel and concrete arch bridge carrying a single-track railway line, located between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir, India.[4][5] The bridge spans the Chenab River at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft) above the river, making it the world's highest rail bridge and the world's highest arch bridge.[6][7] The bridge was fully completed and was inaugurated in August 2022.[3] It is built between the Sangaldan Railway Station and the Reasi Railway Station.

In November 2017, the base supports were declared completed allowing for the start of the construction of the main arch.[8] In April 2021, the Chenab Rail Bridge's arch was completed and the overall bridge was completed in August 2022. It was expected to open to rail traffic by December 2023 or by January/February 2024 but has been rescheduled to July.[9][10]

On February 20, 2024, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi officially launched the USBRL project, which encompasses the 48.1 km Banihal-Sangaldan section.[11] The Chenab Rail Bridge in Reasi district will soon see trains running on it.

In June 2024, the first full trial run on the bridge happened.[12]

  1. ^ a b "Salient Features of the Chenab and Anji Khad Bridges" (PDF). Official Webpage of the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2003. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Marvel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Chenab Bridge, World's Highest Rail Bridge Taller Than Eiffel Tower, Inaugurated Today | All You Need to Know". India.com. 13 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Quixplained: Chenab arch bridge which will connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari". Indian Express. 7 April 2021. Archived from the original on 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Chenab rail bridge to be ready by next year". The Times of India. PTI. 2 August 2020. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  6. ^ Sagotra, Yogesh (7 November 2017). "World's tallest railway bridge on Chenab to complete by May 2019". Greater Kashmir. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  7. ^ "World's highest rail bridge to come up across Chenab river". Hindustan Times. PTI. 17 February 2013. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  8. ^ Jha, Srinand (6 November 2017). "Railways launches main arch of Chenab: World's highest rail bridge an impressive feat but are celebrations misplaced?". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Railway to Connect Kashmir with Rest of India by Start of 2024, Ladakh to Get 500 Towers: Ashwini Vaishnaw". News18. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  10. ^ Porecha, Maitri (21 February 2024). "Plans to connect Kashmir with rest of India through rail pushed to July". The Hindu.
  11. ^ "Chenab Rail Bridge, the world's highest rail bridge will soon see train services". timesofindia.indiatimes. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  12. ^ "In Pics: Railways Successful Trial Run on Worlds Highest Chenab Bridge in Kashmir".