World’s highest railway bridge in Kashmir gets finishing touch

<p>
Indian Railways on Monday completed the closure of the steel arch of the iconic Chenab Bridge in Kashmir which is the world's highest railway bridge, the government said in an official statement</p>
<p>
This was one of the most difficult feats in the construction of the bridge on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. It represents a major leap towards the completion of the 111 km. long winding stretch from Katra to Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement added.</p>
<p>
 </p>
<p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lxARk8bch4E" title="YouTube video player" width="730"></iframe></p>
<p>
The bridge rises a phenomenal 359 metres above the level of the river bed which makes it 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is made of structural steel suitable for -10°C to 40°C temperature, the statement said.</p>
<p>
 </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">
एक भारत, श्रेष्ठ भारतः PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NarendraModi</a> जी के नेतृत्व में रेलवे द्वारा, जम्मू कश्मीर में चिनाब नदी पर, विश्व के सबसे ऊंचे रेलवे ब्रिज का आर्क निर्माण आज वंदे मातरम के उद्घोष के साथ पूर्ण हुआ।<br />
<br />
इंजीनियरिंग कौशल का बेहतरीन उदाहरण यह ब्रिज प्रत्येक देशवासी को गर्व का अनुभव कराता है। <a href="https://t.co/yooq3gkWgO">pic.twitter.com/yooq3gkWgO</a></p>
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1378997970381664257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
 </p>
<p>
It is arguably the biggest civil-engineering challenge faced by any railway project in India in recent history. The 5.6-metre last piece of metal was fitted at the highest point today and joined  the two arms of the arch that currently stretch towards each other from both the banks of the river. This completed the shape of the arch that will then loom over the roaring Chenab, flowing some 359 metres below. After completion of the arch work, removal of the stay cables, filling of the concrete in the arch rib, erection of the steel trestle, launching of the viaduct and track laying work will be taken up, the official statement added.</p>
<p>
Railway minister Piyush Goyal witnessed the event through video conferencing.</p>