At a time when the world’s highest rail bridge over the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir is in the last stages of construction, the government has shared some exciting information regarding the bridge. In a video posted by the Ministry of Railways on its official Twitter handle gives a sneak peak into the work of the bridge.

Chenab Arch bridge: Some things that you need to know about

  • The bridge connects the Kashmir valley to the rest of the nation.
  • The bridge is 1315m long and has an arch of 467m. 
  • This will be known as the highest bridge in the world as it is 359m above sea level.
  • Chenab Arch bridge is 35m higher than the renowned Eiffel Tower.
  • Height of the one steel pier on the main foundation is 131m which is 72m taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.
  • The bridge can withstand wind speeds of 266 kmph.
  • As many as 3200 people worked on construction of the bridge at one point.
  • The design life of the bridge is estimated to be 120 years.

Last month, the Ministry of Railways informed people regarding the progress of this project. The ministry tweeted that the steel arch of Chenab bridge is now in the closure position. Konkan Railway Chairman Sanjay Gupta as per a PTI report said that this will be completed by December 2021. He added that the construction of this bridge has been the most challenging task when it comes to the Kashmir railway link project “undertaken in the 150-year-long history of Indian Railways.”

The bridge has been constructed in hostile terrain and the massive arch-shaped structure needed over 5,462 tonnes of steel for construction. The Chenab bridge is expected to form an important link in the 111 km long stretch present between Katra and Banihal. This is a part of Indian Railways’ Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project.