SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, marking the opening of the world’s highest railway bridge.
Towering 359 metres above the Chenab River—35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower—the bridge connects the remote villages of Kauri and Bakkal and forms a key segment of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore, the 1,315-metre-long bridge is engineered to withstand wind speeds of up to 260 km/h and seismic disturbances. It is projected to have a lifespan of 120 years, representing a major feat in Indian infrastructure.
The bridge is expected to play a transformative role in linking Jammu with Srinagar, with the Vande Bharat train set to cut travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just three hours—reducing the journey by nearly two to three hours.
The USBRL project, costing approximately Rs 43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels spanning 119 kilometres and 943 bridges. It aims to provide seamless, all-weather rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, fostering greater socio-economic integration.
