Modi inaugurates world’s highest single-arch railway bridge in Kashmir

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the world’s highest single-arch railway bridge in Indian-administered Kashmir. The term “single-arch bridge” typically refers to a bridge with a single, continuous arch spanning between two supports.

The bridge will connect the valley region of Kashmir with the rest of the country by train for the very first time.

The showpiece infrastructure project, which is built over the Chenab river, is 35m (114ft) taller than the Eiffel Tower and took the Indian Railways more the 20 years to build.

It is part of a 272km (169 miles) all-weather railway line that will pass through Jammu, ultimately going all the way to the Kashmir valley.

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.

Spanning 1,315m between the villages of Bakkal and Kauri, the bridge was constructed using over 28,000 tonnes of steel and designed to last 120 years. It features 93 deck segments, each weighing around 85 tonnes, and can withstand wind speeds of up to 266kmph and seismic tremors up to magnitude 8, according to the Indian Express.

After the Chenab bridge, Modi also inaugurated India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge over the river Anji. The prime minister then walked on the Chenab rail bridge holding the Indian flag.

Before the inauguration, Modi travelled in a rail engine coach to reach the spot.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were present on the occasion.

After the inauguration, Mr Modi posted on X, formerly Twitter: “It’s a feeling of immense pride that this bridge seamlessly blends ambition with execution, reflecting India’s growing capability to build futuristic infrastructure in the most challenging terrains.”

The USBRL project as a whole has been under development since it was approved in 2003 during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s administration. 

It includes 36 tunnels spanning 119 kilometres and 943 bridges, built at a total estimated cost of INR 437.8bn (£3.7bn), with the cost of the Chenab Bridge alone being approximately Rs14.86bn (£128m), reported Indian media.

--Agencies