CRS Set to Inspect World’s Highest Rail Bridge: Kashmir Rail Link Nears Completion.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), D.C. Deshwal, will conduct a two-day inspection of the 46-kilometer Sangaldan-Reasi section later this month. This section includes the world’s highest steel arch rail bridge over the Chenab River and several major tunnels. The inspection is scheduled for June 27 and 28, an official announced on Sunday.

Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, Deepak Kumar, stated that the commissioning of this section depends on the CRS’s inspection. “The works from Sangaldan to Reasi will be completed before the scheduled inspection,” he said.

The USBRL project spans a total of 272 kilometers. Of this, 209 kilometers have been commissioned in phases: 118 kilometers from Qazigund to Baramulla in October 2009, 18 kilometers from Banihal to Qazigund in June 2013, 25 kilometers from Udhampur to Katra in July 2014, and the 48.1-kilometer Banihal-Sangaldan section in February of this year.

With the commissioning of the 46-kilometer Sangaldan-Reasi section, only a 17-kilometer stretch between Reasi and Katra remains. This final segment is expected to be completed by the end of the year, connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country by train—a project that began in 1997 and has faced numerous delays due to geological, topographical, and meteorological challenges.

Official sources indicated that the first train between Sangaldan and Reasi is likely to be flagged off on June 30, linking Reasi district in Jammu to Kashmir via the railway line.

Last month, Northern Railway’s General Manager, Shobhan Chaudhuri, inspected the Chenab Bridge up to Sangaldan station via a motor trolley, assessing the track, electrical and mechanical systems, and signal telecom works in the Bakkal-Duggar-Sawalkote-Sangaldan section. Chaudhuri also reviewed the remaining work on the Sawalkote yard and Tunnels T-42 and T-43, alongside engineers from Northern Railway, IRCON, and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL).

The 1.3-kilometer Chenab rail bridge, located 359 meters above the riverbed and 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower, is a crucial link in the project. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced plans to develop the bridge as a tourist spot. The base of the steel and concrete arch bridge between Bakkal and Kauri was completed in November 2017, with the main arch finished in April 2021. The overarch deck was completed in August 2022, allowing for track laying to be completed the following year.

Deputy Commissioner of Reasi, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, recently inspected the railway line and stated that the district’s residents are eagerly awaiting the train’s arrival. “The commissioning of the Sangaldan-Reasi section provides an alternate link between Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir. This will be followed by the connection of Katra station to Kashmir, marking a significant milestone as the valley gets linked to Kanyakumari,” he said.

Mahajan added that when the train crosses the Chenab bridge, it will be a proud moment for the country, showcasing the engineering prowess of Indian engineers. “This entire railway project is full of engineering marvels, with most of the 111-kilometer section between Katra and Banihal passing through tunnels and bridges, including India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, Anji Khad,” he said, commending the railway for nearing the completion of this ‘dream project.’