Maldives Minister "Very Impressed" After Visit To World's Highest Railway Bridge In Jammu and Kashmir

A high-level delegation from the Maldives was left impressed after visiting the Chenab Bridge, the iconic superstructure constructed by India over the river Chenab.

The highest railway bridge in the world, the Chenab Bridge is an engineering marvel built across a gorge of Chenab River in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link (USBRL) project.

As the project is nearing completion, Indian Railways is edging closer to connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the railway network.

Maldives' Minister of National Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam and his colleague Minister of State Shifaz Ali visited the Chenab Bridge on 17 May.

The Chief Administration Officer of USBRL, SP Mahi, and other senior officers of the project received the delegation and briefed them about the project and the superstructures on the Katra-Banihal section, including the iconic Chenab Bridge.

The team also carried out a site visit of the Chenab Bridge.

Hailing India’s accomplishment in construction of the Chenab Bridge in difficult Himalayan geology, Aslam said: "Very Impressed with the development the Indian Railways are bringing to the nation."

The Chenab Rail Bridge is a steel and concrete arch bridge between Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi district of the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir.

The bridge spans the Chenab River at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft) above the river, making it the world's highest rail bridge.

In November 2017, the base support was declared completed, allowing for the start of the construction of the main arch. The bridge was fully completed and inaugurated in August 2022.

In April 2021, the bridge's arch was ready, and the overall bridge was completed in August 2022.

It is expected to open to rail traffic by February 2024.