About Chenab Railway Bridge:
- It is located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
- It is built at a cost of around ₹1,400 crore above the Chenab River.
- It is a vital part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (USBRL), aimed at connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country.
- It holds the record for the tallest railway arch bridge globally, with a deck height of 359 metres—35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower.
- Spanning 1,315 metres, the structure includes a 785-metre arch and a 530-metre approach span, designed to traverse a deep gorge in the challenging Himalayan terrain.
- The bridge is designed to last 120 years, capable of withstanding winds up to 266 km/h, earthquakes up to magnitude 8, and explosions equivalent to 40 tonnes of TNT.
- It is engineered to endure extreme Himalayan climates, tolerating temperatures as low as -20°C and maintaining structural integrity in severe weather.
- Project Execution:
- Managed by Konkan Railway Corporation, the project was executed by Afcons Infrastructure, VSL India, and South Korea’s Ultra Construction & Engineering.
- Steel Authority of India supplied the steel, and Swiss firm Mageba provided specialised bearings.
- Engineers used Tekla software to create precise 3D models, aiding accurate design and construction in a geologically complex region.
- The foundation and safety assessments were conducted by top Indian institutions.
- IISc Bangalore designed the protective base, IIT Delhi and IIT Roorkee handled seismic and slope analyses, while DRDO contributed to the bridge’s blast-resistant features.
- Construction required over 28,660 metric tonnes of steel and the creation of 26 kilometres of motorable roads for access and transport in the mountainous region.
