India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge to get operational by May; all you need to know

India's first cable-stayed rail bridge connecting the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir will become operational by May this year. The unique bridge built using cables will connect Katra and Reasi. Interestingly, the bridge's construction is truly an example of the significant challenges taken on by civil engineers to come up with this marvelous model.

According to the Railway Ministry, the link will be a breakthrough in connecting Kashmir with the rest of India by train. The total cost of the entire river line is Rs 37,000 crore, and the bridge has been built for Rs 400 crore. However, the bridge's look resembles Mumbai's Bandra-Worli Sea Link, which is among the first cable-stayed bridges in the country. Notably, the bridge is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) project that railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav has announced will be completed next year. It falls in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Anji-Khad Bridge!

First cable-stayed bridge (193 m height) of Indian Railways. pic.twitter.com/hwcnl5lrq8

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 30, 2023

About the design and specification of Anji Bridge

• The bridge is designed to withstand the wind at a speed of 213 kph.
• The construction of the bridge is underway and will be operational in May 2023, as 41 out of 47 segments have been completed.
• The railways have divided the 272 km rail link into three subsections and train with speeds up to 100 kmph can run on this track.
• A total of 96 cables have been used to build the bridge.
• The height of the bridge from its top to the river bed is 331 meters.
• The total length of the bridge is 725 meters.
• The bridge can cover 80 Kms distance from Jammy by road.

World’s highest Chenab rail bridge to get operational by year end

Under the Indian Railway's Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, the central government is constructing a bridge on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the officials, the bridge will be operational by the end of this year. Built 1,178 feet above the riverbed underneath, the Chenab Bridge has been constructed under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ project.

This bridge would also help the Indian armed forces stationed in this strategically crucial location and increase tourism, per the Railway Ministry. The bridge that has been built at a cost of approximately Rs 1400 crore is also earthquake-resistant. The bridge has a 15-kilometer-long approach road, and it truly represents the most significant challenges faced by civil engineers under any railway project in recent Indian history.

Image: Twitter/Indianrailways