Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated two landmark infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district — the Chenab Railway Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, and the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
The Chenab Railway Bridge, soaring 359 metres above the Chenab River — 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower — connects the villages of Kauri and Bakkal. Spanning 1,315 metres and built at a cost of ₹1,486 crore, it is a crucial part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. Designed to withstand high winds and seismic activity, the bridge has a projected lifespan of 120 years and is expected to significantly boost connectivity in the region.
Soon after, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the Anji Khad Bridge, a strategic structure that spans a deep gorge in the Himalayas. As India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, Anji Khad is a major engineering feat and another vital component of the USBRL project.
The Anji Khad bridge spans the Anji River, a tributary of the Chenab River, in Reasi district. It connects the towns of Katra and Reasi. The Anji bridge is 2,830 feet long and stands 1,086 feet above the ground. One of the most remarkable features is its main pylon, which rises 633 feet above its foundation and is among the highest buildings of its kind.
The Anji bridge, supported by 96 cables of varying lengths, has an asymmetrical design. In addition, it has a 12.3-foot-wide service road and about five foot-wide footpaths on both sides.
The Anji bridge is built to handle extreme weather conditions and wind speeds of up to 213 km/h – nearly as much as a cyclone. It’s been designed to support trains travelling at speeds of up to 100 km/h.
The ₹43,780 crore USBRL project features 36 tunnels covering 119 km and 943 bridges, aiming to ensure all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley and better integrate it with the rest of the country. Once fully operational, the Vande Bharat train is expected to reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just three hours.
During his visit, PM Modi interacted with engineers, workers, and retired experts who played a role in the ambitious project, calling the bridges symbols of New India’s infrastructure capability and commitment to national integration.
