Development

World’s highest railway bridge to open in JK soon

With the upcoming opening of the tallest railway bridge in the world across the Chenab River, Jammu and Kashmir will soon be able to brag about having it. The Chenab railway bridge, built across the river at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft), towers at least 35 metres over Paris’s Eiffel Tower.

The arch bridge is located between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district and is a part of the USBRL, which costs 35,000 crores. The bridge, which connects Katra and Banihal and is estimated to cost 1,400 crore, has passed all required inspections.

Twenty years after the project’s approval in 2003, the bridge is prepared for completion. Despite the fact that the building work started in 2004, it had to be put on hold from 2008 to 2009 for the passengers’ safety because of the high-velocity winds in the area.

After several delays due to stability and safety concerns, the contract was finally delivered in 2008. Yet over time, the project has repeatedly missed deadlines.

Officials from the railway have now verified that track lane construction across the bridge has commenced and is ready for commissioning.

After inspecting the bridge on Saturday, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of railways, announced that two further tests of a motor trolley and bolero customised rail operation will be conducted. As of yet, tests for high-velocity winds, excessive heat, earthquake-prone areas, and hydrological effects of rising water levels have all been conducted.

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