The world’s highest railway bridge is predicted to open quickly in India-administered Kashmir —connecting the distant Himalayan area with India’s huge railway community.

The bridge will dominate over the Chenab River at 359 meters (1,177 ft) excessive and 1,315 meters lengthy. Constructed at a value of $168 million (€156 million), the railway bridge is 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower.

The bridge is a part of India’s bold 272-kilometer-long (169 miles) Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail hyperlink challenge (USBRL), with development work beginning greater than twenty years in the past. 

The arch bridge throughout the Chenab River is in-built an space susceptible to excessive seismic exercise, tough terrain, and hostile climate situations. But engineers say the bridge is powerful sufficient to face up to an earthquake of as much as eight on the richter scale, and is predicted to have a lifespan of 120 years.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been overseeing the challenge himself, praised the bridge as a “growing prowess of India in the field of modern engineering and technology.”

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) authorities additionally considers the bridge essential to bringing additional growth to the area beneath direct federal rule.

Indian federal Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw known as it a strategic challenge.

“Connecting Jammu and Kashmir through rail is one of the toughest engineering challenges in the world,” he mentioned, including that the railway community to Kashmir can be accomplished later this yr or early subsequent yr.

‘One of the hardest engineering challenges on the planet’

An official concerned within the challenge, who requested anonymity, informed DW 28,000 tons of metal has been used within the development of the bridge between the mountainous villages within the Reasi district within the southernmost a part of Jammu.

The railway line, which mobilized hundreds of development staff and engineers, has already missed a number of deadlines.

“This was not an easy thing. We had to continuously struggle with the harsh terrain,” an engineer who labored on the challenge informed DW, requesting anonymity. “This whole area is sensitive and comes under the highly seismic zone,” they added.

According to the engineer, trial runs and pace exams are being performed.

The greatest problem is linking Katra in Jammu to Banihal in Ramban district, which consists of deep river gorges and rocky terrain.Fears of landslides and harsh weather make it difficult for its development. But conducting development for this stretch would lastly join the area with India’s expansive railway community.

A sport changer for tourism

Muhammad Unis, a journey operator in Srinagar, informed DW that the railway line will act as a sport changer for tourism within the area.

“This will reduce the travel costs and bring ease of access to the region for tourists,” he mentioned.

Being one of the crucial extremely militarized zones on the planet, the connectivity can also be anticipated to assist with the mobilization of troops and logistics to the area.

With the Indian military already going through a protracted standoff with the Chinese navy alongside the each nations’ contested border in jap Ladakh, the uninterrupted mobilization of troops and tools may convey main aid.

The railway connectivity additionally gives individuals a substitute for the mountainous Srinagar-Jammu freeway — a key street connecting Kashmir with different states.

The freeway is commonly blocked within the winter and susceptible to landslides which cause fatal accidents.

Local issues

Despite the advantages, some locals have apprehensions concerning the bridge.

“We fear that there might be more rush from non-locals to the ecologically fragile region,” Maroofa Nisar, an area non-public college instructor, informed DW.

The 2019  abrogation of Article 370, which granted a particular constitutional standing to the area, and different measures by the BJP authorities, have granted extra rights to non-locals to begin companies and purchase property in Kashmir — rights that have been as soon as reserved for everlasting residents solely.

According to official data, 185 non-locals have purchased land and 1,559 firms have invested within the area to this point.

Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a political analyst primarily based within the area, informed DW that “the train will reduce the physical distance, but not the psychological barriers.”

“The infrastructure reduces physical distances but not the trust deficit and the feeling of being subjugated.”

Edited by: Sou-Jie van Brunnersum