Infrastructure

All about Chenab Bridge India - Highest Rail Bridge in the World


07, January 2026

India's highest architectural marvel to soon receive its full-on service!

The Indian Railway has shared the visuals of the first, successful trial run commenced over the Chenab Bridge, the highest rail bridge in the world.

The authorities have announced that the Chenab Bridge India will be offering train service within the year 2024. The Chenab Rail Bridge project was fully completed and was inaugurated in August 2020.

The Chenab Bridge is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, an ambitious project undertaken by the Indian Railway, that aims to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India via a spanning railway network. The USBRL includes the construction of several bridges and tunnels through the challenging terrains in Kashmir Valley.

Some of the most notable sub-projects under the USBRL projects are the Chenab Bridge, the highest rail bridge in India and the whole world, and the Anji Khad Bridge, India's first cable-stayed bridge.

Today, we are going to discuss the highest rail bridge in the world - Chenab Bridge India! Without further ado, let's dive into the details!

Chenab Bridge India - An Overview

Putting inception to construction in November 2017, the Chenab Rail Bridge was aimed to be the highest rail bridge in India. After its completion in August 2020, Chenab Bridge India, broke the record of Najiehe Railway Bridge(305 meters) in China, becoming the highest rail bridge in the world with a height of 359 meters above the Chenab River. Thus saying, the Chenab Rail Bridge is taller than the Eiffel Tower(330 meters), the iconic landmark in Paris, France.

The Chenab Bridge is a steel & concrete arch bridge, carrying a single railway track. This single railway track line is situated between the neighborhoods of Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi District of Jammu and Kashmir. The Chenab Rail Bridge spans a length of 1315 meters above the Chenab River, with a height of 359 meters(1175 ft) from the river bed. The arch of Chenab Bridge spans a length of 480 meters from the terrain above the river.

The construction of this mega-project was undertaken by Northern Railway and was fully completed in August 2020. As mentioned above, the Chenab Bridge India is a sub-project under the mega-project of the USBRL project.

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Chenab Bridge India - Key Features

Here are the key features of the Chenab Rail Bridge, the highest rail bridge in India and the whole world:

  • Name: Chenab Rail Bridge

  • Location: Reasi District, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

  • Inauguration date: 13 August 2020.

  • Operated by: Indian Railway.

  • Maintained by: Northern Railway

  • Link: Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL)

  • Crosses: Chenab River, between Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi District, Jammu and Kashmir.

  • Design: Steel Arch Bridge with single railway track

  • Material used: steel and concrete.

  • Height: 359 m(1178 feet)

  • Length: 1315 meters(4314 feet)

  • Number of bridge spans: 17

  • Length of arch: 480 meters

  • Designed by: Konkan Railway, Afcons Infrastructure & DRDO

  • Contracted by: Afcons Infrastructure

  • Cost of construction: Rs 14,000 crore.

  • Current Status: 1st trial run was completed on 16 June 2024.

Apart from all these the Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir holds several significant titles, including:

  • Highest Rail Bridge in India

  • Highest Bridge in India

  • Highest Rail Bridge in the World

  • 16th Highest Bridge in the World

  • 11th Longest Arch Bridge in the World

With its milestone of becoming the highest rail bridge, the Chenab Bridge India has gained renown and become one of the most famous bridges in the world!

Chenab Bridge India - Design & Construction

Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir is an architectural marvel in India. This single-arch steel bridge above the Chenab River is a cutting-edge marvel curated by the top designers of Konkan Railway, Afcons Infrastructure, and Defence Research and Development Organization(DRDO). The construction of the Chenab Bridge was completely commenced by Afcons Infrastructure.

The structural design of Chenab Bridge features an arch design that spans 480 meters. This design perspective of Chenab Bridge India was chosen for its ability to handle large distances and heavy loads. The arch is constructed with steel, thus boosting its flexibility and strength. The Chenab Rail Bridge incorporates a wind-shield and is aerodynamically shaped. The bridge is designed to withstand high wind speeds, up to 266 km/hr.

The location of Chenab Bridge is always subjected to seismic activities like earthquakes, thus advanced technologies and materials are used to enhance the resistance to seismic activities.

The Chenab Bridge not only focuses on functionality and safety, a great consideration was given to its aesthetic appeal and cultural significance. The rail bridge in Kashmir is a modern engineering, blending the verdant, natural surroundings of Dharot in Kasmir Valley.

Chenab Bridge India - Connectivity

The Chenab Bridge plays a major role in enhancing the connectivity of Kashmir Valley to the rest of India via the railway network. It is a crucial part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, connecting the isolated region in Jammu and Kashmir, thus enabling seamless transit for passengers as well as freight.

Chenab Rail Bridge is a transformative infrastructure project that significantly enhances connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, with far-reaching implications for economic development, social integration, strategic mobility, and disaster management. Its construction marks a milestone in bridging gaps between remote regions and integrating them into the national framework, fostering growth and development.

Chenab Bridge India - Latest News & Updates 2024

As for the latest news on the new bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chenab Rail Bridge has received its trial run on June 16, 2024. The trial run as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link was completely under the operation of the Northern Railway under the Indian Railway.

Crosses the Chenab Bridge, the first trial run from Sangaldan to Reasi was successfully completed on June 16. Following the successful completion of the trial run, Deepak Kumar, the Konkan Railway Engineer has announced that the train service for Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link will be starting soon. As per the latest updates, the Northern Railway is set to launch train service through the Chenab Bridge.

That's it, folks. These are all you need to know about the Chenab Bridge India, the highest rail bridge in the world.

Let us know your thoughts on this engineering marvel in Jammu and Kashmir, India, in the comment section below!

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Most Frequently Asked Questions?

What are the Chenab Bridge latest updates?

The first trial run of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link(USBRL) crossing the Chenab Bridge is successful completed on June 16, 2024. The authorities have announced that the train service through the route will be starting soon.

Which is the highest railway bridge in India?

The Chenab Bridge in the Reasi District of Jammu and Kashmir is the highest railway bridge in India with a height 359 meter above the Chenab River.

Which construction company built the Chenab Bridge?

Afcons Infrastructure is the Chenab Bridge construction company along with Ultra Construction & Engineering Company of South Korea, and VSL India.

What are the Chenab Bridge project details?

Chenab Rail Bridge is a steel and concrete arch bridge having a single track, located above the Chenab River, between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. The height of Chenab Bridge is 359 meters above the Chenab River bed.

What is Chenab Railway Bridge current status?

The construction and inauguration of Chenab Bridge have completed on August 2020. As for its current status, the first trail run through the rail bridge was successfully completed on 16 June, 2024 and the train service will be starting soon.

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