The Chenab Rail Bridge

GS 3 – Infrastructure  

The Indian Railways recently conducted a trial run on the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, located in Jammu and Kashmir.

About the Chenab Rail Bridge

• Location: Between Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir.
• Height: The bridge stands 359 metres above the Chenab riverbed, making it the highest single-arch railway bridge globally.
• Length: The bridge is 1.3 km long.
• Project: Part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project.
• Collaborators: Constructed with inputs from international organizations and leading Indian institutions like IITs, DRDO, and the Geological Survey of India.

Key Features

• Span: The bridge has 17 spans, with the main arch spanning 467 metres, the longest of its kind.
• Steel Boxes: The arch is made of steel boxes filled with concrete for enhanced stability.
• Deck Segments: Comprises 93 deck segments, each weighing 85 tonnes.
• Lifespan: Designed for a lifespan of 120 years.
• Wind Resistance: Can withstand wind speeds of up to 266 km/h.
• Blast-Proof: Engineered to resist blasts and zone-V earthquake forces.

Chenab River

• Major River: The Chenab is a significant river in India and Pakistan and a tributary of the Indus River.
• Course:

• • Origin: Formed by the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi in Himachal Pradesh.
  • In its upper reaches, it is called the Chandrabhaga.
  • Flows west through Jammu and Kashmir, between the Siwalik Range and the Lesser Himalayas, before entering Pakistan and joining the Sutlej River.

• Length: About 605 miles (974 km).
• Tributaries: Includes Miyar Nalla, Sohal, Thirot, Bhut Nalla, Marusudar, and Lidrari.
• Utility: Feeds multiple irrigation canals in its course.

The Chenab Rail Bridge not only represents a marvel of engineering but also highlights India’s technological advancements and commitment to infrastructure development in challenging terrains.