Srinagar, Jan 07: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS India) Director and Vice-President – Sales and Marketing, Ranjan Dhar, has said they were ‘bursting with pride & joy’ after the successful trial run over the Anji Khad Bridge.
“We at @AMNSIndia are bursting with pride & joy seeing these incredible visuals. The bridge, made of world-class steel from our Hazira facility and expertly fabricated at our Hazira fabrication shop, is shining brilliantly at Anji Khad. @AshwiniVaishnaw #CelebratingTheSteelWithin,” Dhar said in a tweet.
The Anji Khad Bridge, spanning the Chenab River, is among the tallest and most impressive railway bridges globally. Rising 331 meters above the riverbed, its central pylon reaches 193 meters—30 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower—making it one of India’s tallest structures. With a total length of 725 meters and a 473-meter asymmetric cable, it is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
Linking Tunnel T2 in Katra to Tunnel T3 in Reasi, the bridge plays a key role in connecting the Kashmir region. The upcoming launch of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train is expected to transform transportation in the valley, enhancing economic links and boosting tourism.
Last week, railway officials successfully conducted load testing on the bridge. Later, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video of the trial run on social media, highlighting the progress of this important project.
“The trial run on the Anji Khad Bridge, a key part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway link (USBRL) project, has been successfully completed,” the Ministry of Railways had stated.
Despite facing natural challenges such as extreme temperatures, earthquake-prone zones, and difficult terrain, the project is nearing completion, bringing much-needed connectivity to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, on Monday, virtually inaugurated the Jammu Railway Division from New Delhi, saying the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (USBRL) rail line will provide Jammu and Kashmir with much better connectivity within the country. Modi is expected to flag off the Vande Bharat train by the end of this month.