Taller Than the Eiffel Tower: 7 Stunning Facts About the Chenab Rail Bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, on June 6. Standing 359 meters above the Chenab River, this 1.3 km-long engineering marvel is part of the Rs 21,653 crore Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, significantly enhancing rail connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar.

Here Are 7 Stunning Facts About the Chenab Rail Bridge:

1. The Chenab Bridge will be the world’s highest railway bridge, surpassing the height of even the Eiffel Tower and the Chrysler Building in New York City. The Eiffel Tower stands 330 meters (1,083 ft) tall, roughly equivalent to an 81-story building. The Chrysler Building is 319 meters (1,046 ft) tall. At 359 meters, the Chenab Bridge is about 29 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower.

2. It is the world’s eleventh longest arch bridge, featuring a main arch span of 460 meters. The curvilinear arch bridge has 17 spans in total and stretches across 13,115 meters.

3. The construction of the bridge required around 30,000 metric tons of steel.

4. Along the length of the bridge, 36 tunnels have been constructed, each equipped with security monitoring to ensure the complete safety and protection of passengers.

5. It is one of the strongest railway bridges globally. The Chenab Bridge can withstand powerful wind speeds of up to 260 km/h. It can endure blasts equivalent to 40 kg of TNT and earthquakes of magnitude eight. The bridge pillars are built to withstand high-intensity blasts and are constructed with 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel.

6. The bridge has passed all mandatory tests, including those for high-velocity winds, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and hydrological impacts.

7. The concrete pillars of the bridge have been coated with a special corrosion-resistant paint that lasts for 15 years and the bridge has an expected lifespan of about 120 years. 

Also Read: Grab Stunning View of Chenab Bridge, The Crown Jewel of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, In New Video