Breathtaking photos of Indian Railways bridges! These upcoming rail bridges are engineering marvels - from Chenab bridge to Pamban

Breathtaking Indian Railways bridges: From the world’s highest railway bridge to the first vertical lift rail bridge over the sea - Indian Railways is constructing bridges that are indeed engineering marvels! Chenab river bridge in Jammu & Kashmir is the world’s highest railway bridge. Indian Railways is also constructing its first cable-stayed bridge - the Anji Khad. In Manipur, Indian Railways is building the world’s tallest pier bridge. We take a look at four upcoming Indian Railways bridges that will be special!

Chenab bridge: This beautiful Indian Railways is the world’s highest railway bridge. Built at a height of 359 metres above the river bed, the Chenab river bridge is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail link project. The Chenab bridge is 1.3 kilometres long and it is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The arch bridge is a stunning sight and has been built in the difficult Himalayan terrain. The blast proof and earthquake proof bridge is indeed an engineering marvel.

Chenab bridge status: Sources told TOI that the Chenab bridge is complete and once work on some pending stretches of the USBRL project is finished, it will be thrown open. Once the USBRL project is complete, Kashmir will be linked to the rest of India by Indian Railways for the first time.

Pamban bridge, which is Indian Railways’ first vertical lift bridge over the sea, will serve as a crucial link between the mainland and Rameswaram Island. The bridge, once completed, will be a breathtaking marvel, with a vertical lift shift that will allow easy movement of boats beneath the bridge. The new Pamban bridge is being constructed parallel to the old one which had to be discontinued for use after it was deemed unsafe.

The Chenab rail bridge has been built for a lifespan of 120 years and has a design speed of 100 kmph for trains. Indian Railways has indicated that once the 111 km long USBRL stretch opens then a Vande Bharat Express train will also cross the Chenab bridge.

The 2.05 kilometres long new Pamban bridge will have a navigational span with electromechanical controls integrated with the train control system. To facilitate shipping traffic, this span will move up vertically to give navigational clearance. During that time, railway traffic on the bridge will be halted.

Anji Khad bridge: This new bridge is also a part of the 111-kilometres stretch of the USRBL project. What makes the Anji Khad bridge unique is that it is Indian Railways’ first cable-stayed bridge! The Anji bridge is an asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge balanced on the axis of a central pylon.

Anji Khad bridge status: Like the Chenab bridge, the Anji Khad bridge is also ready and will be opened for railway traffic once the USRBL project is complete. The Anji Khad bridge spans a length of 725 metres and the main span of the bridge is 290 metres. The bridge connects Katra and Reasi via tunnels T2 and T3 on the Katra-Banihal section. Trains will be able to run at speeds of 100 kilometres per hour on the bridge.

Indian Railways is constructing the world's tallest pier railway bridge over river Iring at Noney valley in Khongsang-Noney section in Manipur. The maximum height of the pier stands at 141 metres - which is almost twice the height of Qutab Minar! Indian Railways is building this bridge in the difficult terrain of the young Himalayas, in an area which is also earthquake prone.

This bridge is a part of the upcoming 111 kilometres long Jiribam–Imphal railway line, which aims to connect the capital of Manipur with the broad gauge network of the country. The total length of the bridge will be 703 metres. The piles of the bridge are being constructed using a hydraulic rig. According to Indian Railways, the tall piers need specially designed “slip-form technique” to ensure efficient construction.