The world's highest rail bridge is capable of withstanding winds of 266 kilometres per hour and has been designed with a blast-proof design. Its strength can be gauged from the fact that its estimated lifespan is more than 125 years.

Jammu and Kashmir:

On June 6, PM Modi will dedicate the world's highest rail bridge 'Chenab Rail Bridge' built on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to the nation. This historic bridge will not only connect the Kashmir Valley with the whole of India, but will also give new impetus to trade, tourism and industrial development in the region. In fact, it would not be wrong to call the 'Chenab Rail Bridge' a modern marvel of engineering. Located in Jammu and Kashmir, it is the world's highest railway bridge.

PM मोदी 6 जून को जम्मू-कश्मीर में स्थित चेनाब ब्रिज का उद्घाटन करेंगे. यह पुल दुनिया का सबसे ऊंचा रेलवे पुल है. यह समुद्र तल से 359 मीटर की ऊंचाई पर स्थित है, जो एफिल टॉवर से भी ऊंचा है. यह पुल चिनाब नदी पर बना है और इसे भारतीय रेलवे की अभूतपूर्व इंजीनियरिंग उपलब्धियों में से एक… pic.twitter.com/XkKrRuSe0Z

— NDTV India (@ndtvindia) June 4, 2025

Chenab Bridge is higher than Eiffel Tower

This bridge is 35 meters higher than the famous Eiffel Tower of Paris and about 287 meters higher than the famous Qutub Minar of Delhi. The 'Chenab Rail Bridge' is located at a height of 359 meters above the river bed. This 1315 meter bridge in this 272 kilometer long rail route is a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link Project. This bridge has been constructed at a cost of 1486 crores. It can withstand wind speeds up to 266 km per hour. Also, this bridge is located in seismic zone five and is capable of withstanding an earthquake of 8 magnitude on the Richter scale.

The journey to Kashmir will be pleasant

Due to the 'Chenab Rail Bridge', the travel time between Katra and Srinagar will be reduced by 3 hours. With its opening, the people of the valley will be able to save a lot of time in commuting. The first trial run on the Chenab Bridge was successfully completed in June 2024. After this, the Vande Bharat train was trialed in January 2025. It is noteworthy that on April 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first vertical lift sea bridge 'New Pamban Rail Bridge' on the occasion of Ram Navami.

New connectivity in 'Naya Kashmir'

• The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project will provide all-weather connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir. There are a total of 17 stations in the 272 km rail network. The central government has invested more than 42 thousand crores on the project.
• The Chenab Bridge is the world's highest railway bridge. The single-arch Chenab Bridge has a height of 359 metres, is 1.3 km long and is 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower.
• Anji Bridge: First Cable Stayed Railway Bridge Indian Railways has built the first cable stayed railway bridge in Anji Khad of Reasi. Its Y pylon is 193 meters high. Its height from the river bed is 331 meters. A total of 96 stayed cables have been used in the bridge.

119 KM journey inside 36 tunnels

• The project has 36 main tunnels, with a length of more than 119 KM. The longest tunnel is T-50, which is 12.77 KM long. The Banihal-Qazigund tunnel is 11.2 KM long, while the T-33 tunnel is 3.2 KM long.

Specialty of the train going to Srinagar

• The heating system installed in the train coach will protect the passengers from cold even when the temperature is below zero in areas like Srinagar. Passengers will get the facility of 360 degree rotating seats and charging points.

There will be a boom in religious tourism

• With the expansion of the rail network and the speed of Vande Bharat, the journey of pilgrims to Kheer Bhawani Temple, Martand Sun Temple and Amarnath Yatra for religious tourism in Kashmir will become easier.

Cargo terminal will give a boost to trade

• Four cargo terminals between Banihal and Baramulla are expected to boost trade. Products like apples, dry fruits, handicrafts and pashmina shawls will get access to markets.

The supply of military equipment on the border will be accelerated

• This project will strengthen the national security along with the rail infrastructure. The supply of military equipment to LoC and LAC will be accelerated.

Target zero carbon emissions

• This rail network is 100% electrified. This will help in achieving Prime Minister Modi's zero carbon target.

What else is special about Chenab Bridge which will become the new lifeline of Kashmir

The height of the Chenab Bridge is 359 meters. It is five times higher than the Qutub Minar (272 meters) and 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris (324 meters). The main arch of the Chenab Bridge is 467 m (1315 m) long. It is capable of withstanding winds of 266 kilometers per hour and has been designed with a blast-proof design. Its strength can be gauged from the fact that more than 28,000 metric tons of steel and 6 lakh bolts have been used in it. The cost of this bridge built with 17 spans is more than Rs 14,000 crore.

The foundation of this bridge was laid in 2003 by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It took 22 years to build it and its estimated life is more than 125 years. Its design and technical features have made it a topic of discussion all over the world. Chenab Bridge is not only a railway bridge, but it is also a strong means of connecting Jammu and Kashmir to the country in all seasons. Its grandeur and engineering finesse make it a historical structure.