Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

World’s tallest railway bridge constructed in Kashmir, dwarfs Eiffel Tower

At 29 metres (over 95 feet) taller than the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab Bridge is a remarkable feat of engineering

World’s tallest railway bridge constructed in Kashmir, dwarfs Eiffel Tower

The world's tallest railway bridge is now in India, standing at 359 metres (around 1,180 feet) above the Chenab River in the Jammu and Kashmir region.

At 29 metres (over 95 feet) taller than the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab Bridge is a remarkable feat of engineering.


The construction of the bridge took several decades, but it will finally be open to visitors by the end of December 2023 or January 2024, a press release by the Ministry of Railways in March informed.

According to media reports the Chenab Bridge, stretching 1,315 metres (4,314 feet), is a crucial piece of the Indian government's ambitious plan to connect the Kashmir Valley with the Indian Railway network.

This project, known as the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), also includes the construction of the country's longest transportation tunnel and Indian Railways' first-ever cable bridge.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned on a platform of nationalism and a vision of a prosperous India, sees these infrastructure investments as a means to foster social cohesion and exert political influence by linking remote areas with important urban centres.

The Chenab Bridge and the USBRL project, therefore, hold significant strategic value for the Indian government.

Experts believe, the newly established railway link between Kashmir and the rest of India will play a crucial role in boosting the region's industrial and agricultural sectors, as it will offer all-weather rail connectivity between the valley and the rest of the country.

Previously, the only way to connect the Indian-controlled parts of Kashmir with the rest of India was through the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, a winding 300-kilometer (185-mile) road that frequently closes during the winter and is prone to vehicle accidents.

Sushant Singh, a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in India, told CNN that the bridge holds political implications since it is perceived as a way of "integrating Kashmir into India."

Singh believes that historically, the railway link, including the Chenab Bridge, was intended to make Kashmir "feel more as a part of India."

However, despite being established before Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into power, the USBRL project, including the Chenab Bridge, is being presented as a significant achievement of Modi's push for development in India.

India has made substantial investments in upgrading its infrastructure, with a particular focus on transportation. In February, the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of a 1,386-kilometre (861-mile) expressway connecting New Delhi with Mumbai, the country's financial capital.

The 246-kilometer (153-mile) section of the expressway alone cost $1.4 billion, according to a government press release.

Additionally, India is working on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor to ease congestion on the railway network.

More For You

F-35B jet

The UK has agreed to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport.

Indian Air Force

F-35B jet still stranded in Kerala, UK sends engineers for repair

UK AVIATION engineers are arriving in Thiruvananthapuram to carry out repairs on an F-35B Lightning jet belonging to the Royal Navy, which has remained grounded after an emergency landing 12 days ago.

The jet is part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group of the UK's Royal Navy. It made the emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14. The aircraft, valued at over USD 110 million, is among the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ahmedabad air crash
Relatives carry the coffin of a victim, who was killed in the Air India Flight 171 crash, during a funeral ceremony in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ahmedabad crash: Grief, denial and trauma haunt families

TWO weeks after the crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, families of victims are grappling with grief and trauma. Psychiatrists are now working closely with many who continue to oscillate between denial and despair.

The crash occurred on June 12, when the London-bound flight hit the BJ Medical College complex shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 29 on the ground. Only one passenger survived.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer apologises for 'island of strangers' immigration speech

Prime minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech at The British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London on June 26, 2025. (Photo by EDDIE MULHOLLAND/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer apologises for 'island of strangers' immigration speech

PRIME MINISTER Sir Keir Starmer has admitted he was wrong to warn that Britain could become an "island of strangers" due to high immigration, saying he "deeply" regrets the controversial phrase.

Speaking to The Observer, Sir Keir said he would not have used those words if he had known they would be seen as echoing the language of Enoch Powell's notorious 1968 "rivers of blood" speech.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sir Sajid Javid leads commission 'tackling social divisions'

Sir Sajid Javid (Photo by Tom Nicholson-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Sir Sajid Javid leads commission 'tackling social divisions'

A cross-party group has been formed to tackle the deep divisions that sparked last summer's riots across England. The new commission will be led by former Tory minister Sir Sajid Javid and ex-Labour MP Jon Cruddas.

The Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion has backing from both prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. It brings together 19 experts from different political parties and walks of life.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Masum

Masum was seen on CCTV trying to steer the pram away and, when she refused to go with him, stabbed her multiple times before walking away and boarding a bus. (Photo: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Habibur Masum convicted of murdering estranged wife in front of baby

A MAN who stabbed his estranged wife to death in Bradford in front of their baby has been convicted of murder.

Habibur Masum, 26, attacked 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter in broad daylight on April 6, 2024, stabbing her more than 25 times while she pushed their seven-month-old son in a pram. The baby was not harmed.

Keep ReadingShow less