About
The Chenab Bridge is the world's tallest railway arch bridge, with its deck rising 359 m above the Chenab river — 35 m taller than the Eiffel Tower. The 467 m main arch span is the longest steel arch railway bridge in the world.
Construction began in 2004 but was halted in 2008 over slope-stability concerns; resumed in 2010 with a redesigned anchorage system using 100 m rock anchors for the abutments. The arch was launched using a cable-crane system across the gorge — a method imported from Korean shipyard practice with consultant Ultra Engineering. The deck was incrementally launched from both abutments, joining at the crown in 2021.
The bridge is a critical component of the USBRL project, providing the first all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley. Designed for blast resistance (DRDO consultations) and 260 km/h wind, with a 120-year design life.
Cross-references
21Indian Standards, IRC codes, and InfraLens knowledge articles that bear on this project's design and execution. Each link opens the relevant reference page.
Related calculators
6InfraLens calculators most relevant for bridge projects.
Notable features
- 359 m above Chenab river — tallest railway arch bridge globally
- 467 m main arch span — longest steel arch railway span globally
- Designed for 266 km/h wind, blast resistance, seismic zone V
- 120-year design life vs the Indian Railways norm of 100 years
- Arch fabricated from ~28,000 tonnes of structural steel
Records
3News & sources
2- Konkan Railwaykonkanrailway.com
- Wikipedia — Chenab Bridgeen.wikipedia.org