'India's first cable-stayed rail link': All about J&K's Anji Khad bridge inaugurated by PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two pioneering railway bridges in Jammu & Kashmir- the Anji bridge which is India's first cable-stayed rail bridge the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge. Both of these structures form part of the ambitious 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) which is designed to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India through an all-weather railway corridor.

While the Chenab Bridge, standing 359 metres above the riverbed has already garnered attention for its height and engineering, the Anji Khad Bridge marks a different kind of milestone. Spanning about 725 metres across the deep Anji river valley which is a tributary of the Chenab river, the bridge is the country’s first railway bridge supported entirely by cable-stayed technology. It is located about 80 km from Jammu city in Reasi district and is built over geologically complex Himalayan terrain. It connects the towns of Katra and Raesi. The bridge is engineered to withstand seismic activity and high wind speeds of up to 213 km/h.

A First of Its Kind

One of the many interesting features of the bridge is that the Anji Khad Bridge features an inverted Y-shaped pylon that rises 193 metres from its foundation. It additionally supports 96 cables of varying lengths that stabilise the bridge deck. Another testament of its advanced design is that the bridge is about 2,830 feet long and stands 1,086 feet above the ground. The total cable length runs over 653 kilometres and it additionally includes a 12.3-foot service road and footpaths on either side. The bridge is built to handle extreme weather conditions and trains travelling at speeds of up to 100 km/h will use this route, significantly improving transit through the region.

Built for Challenging Terrain

Designed with seismic resilience in mind, the bridge used over 8,200 metric tonnes of structural steel and was completed in just 11 months. It is also furnished with a sensor-based, integrated health monitoring system to track structural behaviour throughout its life cycle. The location of the bridge, in the young, fragile folds of the Himalayas posed a serious challenge in its engineering making the project one of the most technically demanding in Indian Railways’ history.

It is hence, justified to say that both the Chenab and Anji bridges are not just feats of design but, strategic assets. Together, they close a crucial gap in the Kashmir railway link, enhancing movement for civilians, defence forces and trade. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, CM Omar Abdullah and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were also present at the event.