News Notes
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, India on June 6, 2025. It is now the world’s tallest railway bridge with trains crossing it at the height of 1,178 feet. The bridge crosses over the Chenab River.
The Chenab Rail Bridge’s completion bridges links Kashmir to the rest of India via railway for the first time. It is a steel and concrete structure stretching 4,314 feet across the Chenab River gorge. It is also the tallest arch bridge in the world.
Its opening coincided with the launch of the new Vande Bharat Express trains on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. The bridge is engineered to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8 and wind speeds up to 165 mph. The government expects the bridge’s completion to help stimulate tourism and improve mobility for industry, agriculture and trade.
Modi, speaking at the inauguration event, said: “The Tricolour flies high over the Chenab Rail Bridge! It’s a feeling of immense pride that this bridge seamlessly blends ambition with execution, reflecting India’s growing capability to build futuristic infrastructure in the most challenging terrains.”
