NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways on Wednesday conducted a trial run of an electric engine on the Anji Khad BridgeIndia’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, situated in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
This marks a crucial step toward the commencement of rail services to the Kashmir Valley, expected to begin in January 2025.
Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video of the trial on social media platform X, saying, “First electric engine rolling through Tunnel No. 1 and the Anji Khad Cable Bridge.“
Earlier this week, the minister also posted a clip of the successful trial run of a fully loaded tower wagon on the bridge.
The ministry of railways, in an official statement, lauded the achievement, stating, “Giving wings to connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, the trial run of a tower wagon on India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, was successfully completed for the USBRL project.”
Engineering marvel connecting kashmir to the rest of india
The Anji Khad Bridge is part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, designed to provide seamless rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley. The project is nearing completion, with 255 kilometers of the 272-kilometer route already operational. The remaining stretch between Katra and Reasi is expected to be completed by December.
The Anji Khad Bridge features a single pylon with a height of 331 meters above the riverbed. Supported by 48 lateral and central span cables, the bridge stretches 473.25 meters in total length, with a viaduct of 120 meters and a central embankment of 94.25 meters. Construction of its pylon began in 2017, and the structure was completed last month, drawing praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Railway officials described the bridge as a “true engineering marvel.” It is the second-highest railway bridge in India, after the iconic arch bridge over the Chenab River in Kauri, which stands at 359 meters above the riverbed — 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh recently announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate a Vande Bharat train connecting Kashmir to New Delhi in January 2025, coinciding with the commencement of rail services on this route.
