Bridging Dreams: India's Highest Railway Bridge and Kashmir Rail Link – Chenab Bridge
India achieved a monumental feat in infrastructure and connectivity as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, and flagged off the first-ever Vande Bharat Express trains to Kashmir on June 6, 2025. This development is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), a 272-km long project constructed at a staggering cost of ₹43,780 crore, finally bringing Kashmir into India’s rail network after decades of anticipation.
The Chenab Bridge, towering 359 meters above the riverbed—35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower—has been lauded as the greatest civil engineering challenge faced by Indian Railways. Built at a cost of ₹1,456 crore, it spans 467 meters with a steel arch structure, reinforced to withstand blast impacts, winds up to 266 km/h, and temperatures as low as -40°C. The bridge was made possible through the innovative efforts of Dr. G Madhavi Latha, a professor at IISc Bengaluru, who contributed as a geotechnical consultant for 17 years. Her team’s “design-as-you-go” approach overcame severe geological hurdles and played a critical role in real-time design adaptations.
Another historic feat, the Anji Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, was also inaugurated. Built at a height of 331 meters and stretching 725 meters, it is supported by 96 high-tension cables and a central inverted Y-shaped pylon, making it a structural marvel engineered to resist tremors and difficult terrain.
Tunnel T50, the longest transport tunnel in India at 12.77 km, connects Khari and Sumber, overcoming complex rock formations and water ingress. Equipped with CCTV cameras every 50 meters and parallel escape tunnels, it ensures safe and uninterrupted operations in this mountainous region.
The newly introduced Vande Bharat Express trains (26404/26403 and 26401/26402) will operate six days a week, halting at key locations like Banihal and Katra, and are equipped to handle harsh Kashmiri winters with heated pipelines, defrosting windshields, and thermal-insulated water systems. For now, security restrictions limit travel to daytime operations, with direct Delhi-Kashmir train service expected by September.
Jammu now also has its own Railway Division, enhancing operational efficiency for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh. The region will benefit from 11 goods terminals, boosting agriculture, trade, and logistics.
This was also PM Modi’s first visit to J&K post Operation Sindoor, an anti-terror operation launched in May 2025. During his visit, the PM laid foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth ₹46,000 crore, including two flyovers in Srinagar, medical infrastructure in Katra, and key road development initiatives.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hailed the day as historic, emphasizing the end of Kashmir’s isolation and the economic potential unlocked by rail connectivity. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce called for the launch of cargo train services to fully realize this transformation.
From students and tourists to traders and farmers, this rail link symbolizes hope, unity, and progress—marking a new era for Jammu and Kashmir’s integration and development with the rest of India.
