Prime Minister recently inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab.
It is the world's highest rail and arch bridge with a dock height of 359 meters from the river bed, 35 meters taller than Paris’s iconic Eiffel Tower.
It has been built between Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi district.
Designed & constructed by -Joint venture consisting of Afcons Infrastructure, South Korea-based Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, and VSL India.
Geography- It falls in zone-V, a major seismic zone with a fractured geology.
It was proposed in one of the most complicated and isolated terrains in India.
Features -It has a steel arch and concrete structure.
Its deck is located on a transition curve (the part between straight and circular sections of roads) with a changing radius.
Life span -It is designed to have a lifespan of 120 years and handle train speeds upto 100 km per hour.
It can withstand earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8 on the Richter Scale, besides high-intensity explosions equivalent to 40 tonnes of TNT.
Its steel structure can withstand temperatures up to -20 degree C and wind speeds up to 266 km per hour.
Even after the removal of one pier, it will remain in operation at a restricted speed of 30 km per hour.
Challenge- To build the bridge without obstructing the flow of the Chenab River.
