Context:

The construction of the 359 meters high Chenab Arch Bridge, which is 30 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, has been completed.

About the Chenab Arch Bridge,

• The Chenab Bridge is a steel and concrete arch between Bakkal and Kauri in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Bridge will be the world’s highest rail bridge constructed over the river
• The bridge has the widest span in the Indian broad gauge railway network.
• Rail link Project: The bridge is part of an ambitious 272-km rail link project, being constructed by the Northern Railway.
• The project was started in 2002 to connect Kashmir’s northernmost city Baramulla to New Delhi.
• Resistance: The bridge will be able to withstand earthquakes with a magnitude of up to eight.
• It is made up of temperature-resistant metal which can stand temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of above 200 kilometers per hour.
• Connectivity: The bridge will provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the county.

Chenab River

• The Chenab River is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan.
• It is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region.
• It originates in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh.
• The river is formed by the confluence of two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga, Himachal Pradesh.