Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link: 8 features of 'remarkable feat of engineering' | Details here

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday (June 6). PM Modi also flagged the Chenab and Anji bridges.

Taking to the social media platform X, the Indian Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described some notable features of the link.

Vaishnaw called the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project a "remarkable feat of engineering." He said that the link has "India's longest transportation tunnel, T-50," which is 12.77 km long and located between Khari and Sumber.

Here are the eight key features of the link:

Chenab bridge

It is the world's highest railway arch bridge. The bridge is 359 meters long and 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. It spans 1.3 km and can withstand winds of up to 260 km/h. The total cost of the bridge was ₹1,486 crore and is designed to last 120 years.

Anji Khad Bridge

The Anji Khad bridge is India's first cable-stayed railway bridge. It is located 80 km away from Jammu. The height of the bridge is 331 metres, and it stretches 725 metres. The structure uses 96 high-tensile cables and was completed in just 11 months.

Tunnel T-50

It is the longest transportation tunnel between Khari and Sumber of India with a distance of 12.77 km.

Tunnel T-80

Tunnel T-80 is India's third-largest tunnel. It measures 11.13 km and is between Awalkote and Sangaldan.

Massive tunnel network

The project is huge with 36 main tunnels and eight escape tunnels. It covers a total length of over 186 km.

Ice cutters installed in trains

Vishnaw explained in his X post that the Vande Bharat trains have ice cutters installed to clear snow from the tracks to ensure better running.

Himalayan Tunneling Method

"Advanced construction technique was specifically adapted to the complex geological and seismic conditions of the Himalayan region - Himalayan Tunneling Method," the Railway Minister added.