Infrastructure

Chenab Bridge: India Unveils World’s Tallest Railway Link

The 1.3km-long bridge is now the world’s tallest arch bridge.

Updated on

June 20, 2025

India has officially opened the world’s tallest railway bridge—an engineering marvel that soars 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the Chenab River—signalling a major milestone in the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chenab Rail Bridge, which towers higher than the Eiffel Tower, was inaugurated on 6 June by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hailed the project as “a seamless blend of ambition and execution” in a region marked by both difficult terrain and strategic sensitivity.

Constructed in the rugged Himalayan terrain of Reasi district, the 1.3km-long bridge (4,314 feet) is the world’s tallest arch bridge and now serves as the key connector between Kashmir and the Indian mainland via rail—a first in the country’s history.

The bridge opens amid regional tensions, weeks after a deadly attack in Pahalgam. Made with blast-resistant materials, it can handle strong quakes and high winds. Its arch design offers added strength for both freight and passenger trains.

Designed by WSP Finland and built under the watchful eye of the Konkan Railway Corporation, this bridge stands as a key feature of the 272-kilometre USBRL project, which aims to connect the economy of the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India.

Construction was delayed multiple times since the project’s inception in the early 1980s, but the main arch was finally completed in April 2021 after a complex build process involving aerial cable cranes and mountain-side assembly.

“In building this bridge, we haven’t just conquered the Chenab, we’ve bridged a long-standing gap in India’s rail network,” said a senior official from Indian Railways. “It’s more than steel and concrete—it’s a statement of intent.”

Modi, during his address at the ceremony, noted, “The Tricolour flies high over the Chenab Rail Bridge. The inauguration of mega infrastructure projects today marks a turning point in Jammu and Kashmir’s development journey.”

Besides strategic military utility, the bridge is expected to unlock vast economic potential by streamlining movement of agricultural produce, goods and tourists.

Regular Vande Bharat Express trains are now set to run on this route, making travel quicker and boosting accessibility in the region. The Chenab Bridge has officially taken the title of the tallest bridge in the world, surpassing China’s Najiehe Railway Bridge.