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44METRO RAIL NEWS -AUGUST 2025 www.metrorailnews.in Engineering Marvels on India%u2019s Most Challenging Railway Route Chenab Rail BridgeThe Chenab Rail Bridge, part of the Udhampur%u2013Srinagar%u2013Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, stands as a major engineering accomplishment in the history of Indian infrastructure. The Chenab bridge stands at a height of 359 metres above the riverbed. It is the world%u2019s highest railway arch bridge, exceeding the height of the Eiffel Tower. The total length of the bridge is 1,315 metres, and it plays a crucial role in connecting Jammu with the Kashmir Valley.The bridge is constructed at an estimated cost of %u20b91,486 crore, the bridge is designed to withstand extreme terrain and climatic conditions. It can endure wind speeds up to 260 km/h and is built to last 120 years. Engineers used advanced tools like Tekla software for structural detailing, which enabled them to model and execute the bridge with high precision.Anji Khad BridgeThe Anji Khad Bridge, located on the Katra%u2013Reasi section of the USBRL project, is situated approximately 80 kilometres from Jammu. The bridge stretches 725 metres in length and soars 331 metres above the riverbed, which makes it one of the tallest railway bridges in the region. At its core is an inverted Y-shaped pylon that rises 193 metres from the foundation, supporting the main span with the help of 96 high-tensile stay cables.The bridge%u2019s construction involved approximately 653 kilometres of cable strands and over 8,200 metric tonnes of structural steel, built to withstand the complex geological conditions of the area, including seismic activity and strong winds. The bridge construction took only 11 months to complete.Tunnel T-50: India%u2019s Longest Transportation TunnelTunnel T-50 is India%u2019s longest transportation tunnel, and it lies in the Sumber%u2013Khari section of the USBRL project. The tunnel stretches 12.77 km, and it includes a Main Tunnel (MT) for rail operations and a parallel Escape Tunnel (ET) to ensure safety and support emergency evacuations. The construction team used the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) to excavate the tunnel through challenging geological formations. The South Portal opens in the scenic Sumber Valley, near Sumber village, while the North Portal is located near Arpinchala village in the Mahu-Mangat Valley, Ramban district. The tunnel%u2019s completion highlights a major engineering accomplishment in one of India%u2019s most geologically complex regions.The Impact of the USBRL ProjectEmployment: During the construction phase of USBRL, project executing agencies provided employment to 14,069 individuals, with approximately 65% of these opportunities allocated to local residents of Jammu & Kashmir. Additionally, the project has generated over 525 lakh man-days of employment. The commissioning of the project will further create employment in the Kashmir Valley. Connectivity and Regional Integration: The Udhampur%u2013Srinagar%u2013Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project holds strategic importance as it reestablishes rail connectivity between the RAILWAY NEW DEVELOPMENT