Railways completes arch closure of Chenab bridge

The Railways on Monday stated it had accomplished the arch closure of the 1315m Chenab bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge.

Terming it one of the largest civil engineering challenges confronted by any venture in India, the Railways added that at 359m above the river mattress degree, the bridge can be 35 metres greater than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The Chenab bridge is an element of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail hyperlink venture (USBRL) and completion of the metal arch is a crucial building milestone. “This was one of the most difficult part of the bridge over Chenab. This achievement is a major leap towards the completion of the 111-km-long winding stretch from Katra to Banihal,” the Railways added.

The arch consists of metal packing containers, which might be stuffed with concrete to enhance stability.

The bridge is being constructed at a value of ₹1,486 crore and might stand up to excessive wind velocity as much as 266 km per hour.