Historic milestone of a successful trial train run at Chenab Bridge: World's Highest and Longest Steel Arch Railway

WSP has designed the world’s highest and longest steel arch bridge for railway traffic in India. Situated in the Jammu and Kashmir region, approximately 600 km north of New Delhi, the Chenab Bridge is a critical component of the new Baramulla−Srinagar−Udhampur railway connection.

The Chenab Bridge spans a total length of 1,315 meters, with a free span of 467 meters measured from the river surface below. The bridge deck rises 359 meters above the river, making it the tallest and longest-spanning railway bridge of its type globally. Constructing such an extensive structure in a mountainous area with limited infrastructure presented significant challenges.

This project showcases WSP’s world-class expertise in steel bridge design. It was executed under a "design and build" contract model, necessitating the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) from the project's inception. All steel components, modeled using Tekla software, ensured compatibility during installation. The total steel volume used in the bridge amounts to 27,000 tons.

The design team, led by Pekka Pulkkinen from WSP in Finland, faced challenges from the region's demanding earthquake and wind conditions. Detailed steel structure drawings were produced, and all installation joints are bolted, utilizing approximately 600,000 bolts. The bridge’s foundations and piers are concrete, with the arch section installed using a cable crane.

Wind engineering was a major focus due to the bridge's high-altitude location in a rough topography. Special wind tunnel tests by FORCE Technology in Denmark were conducted to determine realistic wind parameters. The bridge's truss structures make it resistant to aeroelastic instabilities, but controlling lateral displacement of the deck remains crucial for smooth railway operations. Continuous wind condition surveillance and a warning system will manage rail traffic during major storms.

Indian Railways recently achieved a historic milestone with a successful trial run of an eight-coach Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train on the Chenab Bridge. This trial, conducted on a 46-km electrified section between Sangaldan in Ramban district and Reasi, marks a significant step towards commencing rail operations on the Reasi-Baramulla route in Kashmir.

Following an extensive inspection by senior officers from the Railway Board, Northern Railway, and Konkan Railway, the train operated at a speed of 40 kmph. This development is a critical step toward integrating the remote regions of northern India with the broader national rail network, promising enhanced connectivity and socio-economic development for the region.

The Chenab Bridge stands as a monumental engineering achievement, poised to transform transportation and connectivity in the challenging terrain of Jammu and Kashmir.

The video below showcases the monumental trial run on world's highest railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir.