World's highest arch bridge to link Kashmir to India

This section is considered one of the great engineering marvels, highlighted by the Chenab Bridge, which is 725 metres long and built 359 metres above the river. It stands 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and is five times the height of Delhi’s Qutb Minar.

The bridge can withstand wind speeds of up to 260 km/h. The section also includes 934 rail bridges and 38 tunnels.

Another notable structure in this section is the Anji Ghat cable railway bridge, the country’s first cable-stayed bridge supported by 96 three-layered cables. The bridge stands 331 metres above sea level.

Connecting the Kashmir Valley by rail is expected to boost tourism in the Valley, making it easier and hassle-free for visitors to travel, and residents can travel more safely and quickly to other states for employment and trade.

The project was sanctioned in 2002 and has been eagerly awaited, with the Railways spending around `37,000 crore on the endeavour.

According to Chenab bridge executive engineer Robinder Singh Yadav, this was one of the most challenging construction projects on the river. He noted that simply reaching the location posed a major hurdle. From 2013 onward, around 2,000 people worked on the project to bring it to completion.

Several stations are coming up along this route, including at Reasi, located in a remote part of the Kashmir Valley. Sai Nath Reddy, executive engineer at Reasi station, noted that work on the section of the project from Baramulla to Kashmir started in 2004 and called it a “game-changer” for the region.

Local residents say this connectivity will be revolutionary, as they are often isolated, and road travel can be long and arduous.

Manzoor Ahmed Dar, a resident of Old Barzulla in Rajbagh, Srinagar, who works in a silk-weaving factory, shared his excitement: “My son and his family live in Hyderabad, and we visit them once a year. It’s always a lengthy and tiresome journey. This rail connectivity will be a blessing for us.”

Initially, the Railways will operate a MEMU train, with plans to introduce a Vistadome coach later to boost tourist traffic. The MEMU train carried civilian passengers for the first time on Sunday, after securing clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

For travellers from Hyderabad and Telangana heading to Kashmir, there are currently seven trains running from Hyderabad city stations to Delhi, from where they can connect directly to the new rail route once services are established.