India unveils world’s highest railway bridge over Chenab River

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially inaugurated the world’s highest railway arch bridge, spanning the Chenab River in the disputed Kashmir region.

The long-awaited Chenab Rail Bridge, a marvel of modern engineering, stands at a record-breaking height of 359 meters above the river, making it 29 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Modi announced the opening on the X platform, calling the bridge a testament to India's engineering prowess.

"Rising boldly across the mountains, the Chenab Rail Bridge showcases design ingenuity and structural mastery. It will deepen connectivity, thus boosting trade, commerce and tourism," he wrote.

The monumental bridge, which has taken decades to complete, is 1,315 meters in length and cost over $160 million. It forms a critical segment of the first railway line linking the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India.

Built using 93 deck segments, each weighing approximately 85 tonnes, the bridge is capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions, including wind speeds of up to 266 km/h and earthquakes measuring up to magnitude 8. It is also designed to absorb and resist the impact of explosions equivalent to 40 tonnes of TNT.

Among the most difficult challenges engineers faced was stabilising the bridge’s foundation in the geologically fragile and seismically active Himalayan terrain. The bridge features enhanced structural resilience, including the ability to remain partially operational, even at a limited speed of 30 km/h, should one of its supporting piers fail.

The Chenab Bridge project was developed under the leadership of the Konkan Railway Corporation with extensive collaboration between Indian and international partners. Finnish firm WSP designed the viaduct and foundations, while the steel arch was engineered by Germany’s Leonhardt Andrä und Partner. The actual construction was carried out by a joint venture including India’s Afcons Infrastructure, South Korea’s Ultra Construction & Engineering, and VSL India.

Additional expertise came from India’s premier engineering institutes — IIT Delhi and IIT Roorkee — who led the seismic analysis, while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided inputs to enhance the bridge’s blast resistance.

The bridge also presented geometric complexities as it lies on a transition curve, where a straight track shifts into a curve, requiring intricate design adjustments. Tekla’s advanced 3D modelling software was used to simulate and refine the structure. Switzerland’s Mageba supplied the spherical bearings critical for supporting the bridge’s superstructure, and the Steel Authority of India provided the raw steel used in the arch.

By Tamilla Hasanova