People living in India's Jammu and Kashmir region will be able to travel beyond the state by train after the Chenab Bridge is completed.
On Monday, Northern Railways completed the bridge's main arch.
History in making :
— Northern Railway (@RailwayNorthern) April 5, 2021
N.Rly. today places the upper crown to complete the work of main arch of iconic Chenab Bridge.
Rail Minister Sh. @PiyushGoyal, CEO & Chairman Rly Bd Sh. Suneet Sharma, GMNR Sh. Ashutosh Gangal & other senior officials witnessed the history in making. pic.twitter.com/fQ8ekNQm2B
The $92-million bridge is a part of the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL) project being undertaken by the Ministry of Indian Railways. The bridge will include a 14-metre-wide dual carriageway and a 1.2-metre-wide central verge.
The project is expected to be finished by December 2021 – it will be in operation for 120 years and contribute to the economic development of the state.
The Chenab Bridge – 1,315 metres long and 359 metres high – will be the tallest railway arch bridge in the world, standing 35 metres higher than the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris.
It will cross over the deep gorges of the Chenab River and connect Kashmir Valley with Udhampur, the northern command headquarters of the Indian Army.
It's also the first steel arch bridge in India and is designed to withstand temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of up to 200 kmph.
Jammu and Kashmir is prone to terrorist attacks so the bridge will be fortified with 63-mm-thick special blast proof steel and concrete steel.
