The two engineering marvels of Indian Railways, the Chenab bridge and Anji Khad bridge in Jammu and Kashmir to be inaugurated and trains to connect Kashmir valley to the rest of India for the first time
On 6th June 2025, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is set to flag off new Vande Bharat trains and inaugurate the two engineering marvels of India : the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab and India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge at Anji, both in Jammu and Kashmir in India.
The regular Vande Bharat Express train service is set to begin between Katra and Srinagar on 07 June 2025, which reduces the travel time within Jammu and Kashmir. This train service will operate for 6 days a week.
The New Vande Bharat Express special train between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar will be inaugurated on 06 June 2025, with an inaugural run on that day, as per a post on X by Northern Railway, a division of Indian Railways.
Let us have a brief look at these great bridges and this splendid new Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Railway line which is going to connect the Kashmir valley to the rest of India via the national rail network of Indian Railways.
Chenab Rail Bridge
The Chenab railway bridge now stands as the world’s highest railway arch bridge. This bridge towers 359 metres above the Chenab riverbed. This means that it rises 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower.
Spanning 1,315 metres long, this massive steel arch structure marks a significant milestone in Indian engineering, and it is also a key part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link.
This great bridge is designed and built to endure the harsh terrain and extreme weather of the Himalayas, and it can withstand wind speeds of up to 260 kilometres per hour and it is built to last for 120 years.
Structural steel that is suitable for temperatures ranging from minus 10 to 40 degrees Celsius has been used on this bridge, to ensure that it endures seasonal temperature variations.
The most sophisticated ‘Tekla’ software was used for structural detailing, which enabled high precision in design and execution.
Anji Khad Bridge
The Anji Khad Bridge stands as India’s first cable stayed railway bridge. It runs across the deep Anji River valley on the rugged Himalayan terrain that is south of Chenab, and connects the Katra-Banihal section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line.
This bridge is set against a striking backdrop of snow-covered peaks that is 80 kilometres from Jammu city. This bridge towers 331 metres above the Anji riverbed and spans 725 metres long.
This bridge is anchored by 96 high tensile cables from an inverted Y-shaped pylon that towers to 193 metres above its foundation. The total length of cable strand used in the bridge is 653 kilometres, and the entire structure was completed in just 11 months.
This great bridge is designed and built to endure tremors, strong winds, and shifting geology of this Himalayan terrain. Over 8,200 metric tonnes of structural steel was used in its construction, to ensure strength and durability in this Himalayan region that is full of young and restless mountains.
Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link
The Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) is one of the most ambitious railway projects of independent India. This project has been built at a cost of ₹43,780 crores INR.
This new railway in the Jammu and Kashmir state is 272 kilometres long and runs through the rugged Himalayas, with 36 tunnels through the mountains, with a total span of all tunnels being 119 kilometres, and with 943 bridges that cross the spectacular valleys, ridges and mountain passes.
This railway line is designed to overcome the region’s challenging geography, and it connects remote areas of the state to the national rail network and marks a new chapter in railway mobility, trade, and tourism for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Tunnel T50, with a length of 12.77 kilometres is the longest transportation tunnel in India. This tunnel connects Khari and Sumber in Jammu and Kashmir, and this is the longest one built under the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. This tunnel passes through complex and varied geology of the Himalayas, which includes quartzite, gneiss and phyllite.
It is constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The design includes a main tunnel and a parallel escape tunnel, connected through cross-passages every 375 metres to ensure safety.
Tunnel T50 is fully equipped with CCTV cameras installed every 50 metres. All feeds are monitored from a central control room to support safety and smooth operations.
India’s 2nd longest transportation tunnel T-80, with a length of 11.22 Km, also known as the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel; is also on this railway section, between Banihal-Qazigund.
And India’s 3rd longest railway tunnel T-44 that stretches over 11.13 Km; is also on this railway section, between Sawalkote-Sangaldan.
This railway line section that is constructed in the USBRL Project has a total of 36 main tunnels with a total length of 119.6 Km and 8 escape tunnels with a total length of 66.4 Km.
Vande Bharat Express is being introduced between Jammu and Srinagar on this new railway line. Unlike other Vande Bharat trains, this one is specially made for the harsh Himalayan winters. It runs smoothly even in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.
This train has heated windshields, advanced heating systems, and insulated toilets to ensure that it remains operational and comfortable throughout the year.
A snow removal train that moves ahead to clear the tracks, supports this train to ensure its year-round services. Seismic dampers are installed to absorb tremors, to ensure a safer and smoother journey in this high-risk zone of the Himalayas.
Also, 100% electrification has been achieved by Indian Railways on the railway tracks in Jammu and Kashmir, which a significant milestone of efficient, environment-friendly, and sustainable rail transport in the region.
- Rail Renaissance in Jammu and Kashmir - Infrastructure, PIB : Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India. Posted On: 04 JUN 2025 6:18PM.
- Post by Northern Railway @RailwayNorthern on X. On 7:43 PM · Jun 5, 2025
- PM to visit Jammu and Kashmir on 6th June - Prime Minister's Office, on PIB - Press Information Bureau. Posted On: 04 JUN 2025 12:37PM by PIB Delhi.
- Post thread by Ashwini Vaishnav @AshwiniVaishnaw on X. On 6:42 PM · Jun 5, 2025.