The world's largest railway bridge in height and engineering wonder is Jammu and Kashmir's Chenab Rail Bridge in India. It is the world's tallest railway arch bridge, with a height of 359 meters over the Chenab River, higher than the Eiffel Tower and the Qutub Minar.
The bridge is 1,315 meters (1.3 kilometers) long with a steel arch design and has a main arch span of 467 meters, the largest of its type. It is designed to endure severe seismic activity, high winds of up to 260-266 km/h, and is constructed with blast-resistant steel and concrete to ensure safety and longevity in the harsh Himalayan environment.
Chenab Bridge: World’s Highest Single-Arch Bridge
Generally speaking, a "single-arch bridge" is one that has a single, continuous arch that runs between two supports.
The Chenab Bridge is a vital component of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, linking Kashmir to the rest of India through rail. It has space for double railway tracks and can handle trains with speeds of up to 100 km/h.
This would be the first time that the bridge would link the valley area of Kashmir with the rest of the nation via train. It is a segment of an all-weather railway line that would run through Jammu for 272 km (169 miles) before reaching the Kashmir valley.
Chenab Rail Bridge Cost
The bridge was built at an approximate cost of ₹1,486 crore (about $180 million) and is expected to last for 120 years. It was opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, which is an important milestone in the railway infrastructure of India.
It took Indian Railways more than 20 years to construct the central infrastructure project, which spans the Chenab River and is 35 meters (114 feet) taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Can Withstand Earthquake, Extreme Temp, TNT Explosion
Afcons Infrastructure, Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, based in South Korea, and VSL India collaborated to design and build the bridge.
With a lifespan of 120 years, the Chenab bridge is resilient to earthquakes, strong winds (up to 260 kmph), extreme temperatures, and the hydrological effects of rising water levels.
According to Afcons, the bridge is blast-proof, meaning it can withstand high-intensity "explosions of up to 40 kg of TNT" and can support trains moving at up to 100 km/h. Trains could continue run even if a pillar was damaged by unanticipated events, but at a reduced speed.
Chenab Rail Bridge: Engineering Marvel
The central government authorized the construction of the Chenab bridge in 2003. However, the bridge's construction was complicated by the area's rough terrain, safety concerns, and legal actions.
The engineers' biggest task was to construct the bridge without disrupting the flow of the Chenab River.
Engineers had to work on foot or with a mule in the early stages of the infrastructure project's construction. Logistics were still another major problem because of the location's inaccessibility and the restricted number of highways. Afcons Infrastructure's deputy managing director, Giridhar Rajagopalan, informed a news outlet that many of the bridge's parts were built and manufactured locally.
Chenab Bridge Key Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Cost | ₹1,486 crore |
| Height | 359 metres above the riverbed (35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower; 5 times taller than Qutub Minar) |
| Material Used | 28,660 mega tonnes of steel |
| Temperature Resistance | Can withstand sub-zero to 40°C temperatures |
| Wind Speed Tolerance | Up to 266 km/hr |
| Earthquake Resistance | Designed to endure strong earthquakes |
| Structural Safety | Trains can still operate at low speed if a pillar is damaged |
| Topographical Challenge | Built in a remote Himalayan region with difficult terrain |
| Engineering Significance | Called the "biggest civil-engineering challenge" in Indian railway history |
Who Built Chenab Rail Bridge?
Together, a number of Indian organizations and businesses have constructed this wonder in the harsh and remote landscape of the nation. VSL India and Afcons Infrastructure, an Ultra Construction & Engineering Company located in South Korea, were given the contract to design and build the bridge. The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, finished the slope stability analysis, while the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, was given the design for its foundation protection.
Together, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) contributed to the blast-proofing of this structure. The arch was designed by Leonhardt Andra, a German firm, while the viaduct and foundations were created by the Finland-based WSP Group.
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