A stunning picture of the Chenab bridge, which is the world’s highest railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, was shared recently and you have to see it for yourself to believe its beauty.
The breathtaking sight was shared by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who posted a photo of the bridge’s arch — at a staggering height with the clouds moving beneath it, writing, “The world’s highest #arch #ChenabBridge over the clouds.”
The towering height of the bridge is evident, as it stands tall surrounded by mountains. The Chenab rail bridge is a steel and concrete arch bridge located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. While it is not completed yet, once done, it will cross the Chenab river at a height of 359 metre or 1,178 ft, helping with connectivity in the Kashmir valley.
Touted as the highest railway bridge in the world — higher than even the Eiffel Tower in Paris — it is estimated to be 1,315 metre in length. In March 2021, Union Minister Piyush Goyal had tweeted a video about the completion of the arch bottom of the bridge, calling it an “engineering marvel in making”. Take a look.
The bridge is expected to open to railway traffic in December 2022, with an estimated project cost of Rs 1,250 crore.
The key challenge was that of the rugged topography in the area. While the construction was intended to be completed more than a decade ago, in 2009, it was halted in 2008 over safety and stability fears. Work resumed in 2010, with the idea of getting it ready by 2015, but it finally resumed in 2017 with 2022 slated as the opening year.
It is said that while major construction decisions pertaining to the bridge have been taken by the Konkan Railway Corporation, the DRDO has helped design it using a special steel that is believed to be ‘blast proof’.–(The Indian Express)
