Watch: Railways conduct high-speed trial on world's tallest Chenab Rail Bridge. Goosebumps Guaranteed

Indian Railways achieved another milestone on Friday with the successful trial run of High-Speed CRS on the famed Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, in Jammu and Kashmir. This trial run marks a significant step towards commencing rail operations on the Reasi-Baramulla route in Kashmir.

Earlier, after conducting its first trial run this week, the Ministry of Railways had said: "After an extensive inspection of the newly constructed Chenab Bridge by senior officers from Railway Board, Northern Railway, and Konkan Railway, a trial run was conducted on a 46-km-long electrified line section between Sangaldan in Ramban district and Reasi at a speed of 40 kmph."

The trial, starting at 12.35 pm from Sangaldan and reaching Reasi at 2.05 pm, covered nine tunnels spanning 40.787 km, including the longest tunnel T-44 stretching 11.13 km. This marks the inaugural full train crossing on the iconic bridge between Dugga and Bakkal stations over the Chenab river, the highest arch railway bridge globally, the ministry said.

Key stations along the route—Reasi, Bakkal, Dugga, and Sawlakote—are located in Reasi district, Jammu & Kashmir. "The electrification work on this section has been executed with state-of-the-art technology, ROCS (Rigid Overhead Conductor System) at 25 kV, for the first time on railways," the ministry said.

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20, 2024, includes the 48.1-km Banihal-Sangaldan section. Phase-I of the project, covering the 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla section, began in October 2009 under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Subsequent phases included the 18 km Banihal-Qazigund section in June 2013 and the 25 km Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014.

Earlier in February 2024, the first electric train trial run on the Banihal-Katra section from Banihal to Khari to Sangaldan in Ramban covered approximately 40 km of track and tunnels. "Following a series of tests, this bridge will facilitate all train services, a monumental leap towards integrating the Kashmir valley seamlessly with Jammu and the broader Indian network," the ministry highlighted.

"This would foster social integration by facilitating easier movement of people and goods, thereby promoting cultural exchanges and regional development and boosting economic activities such as tourism and trade," it added.

The Indian Railways has accomplished laying a 272-km railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla, connecting the Kashmir valley to the national rail network under the USBRL project, aimed at providing a reliable transportation alternative to Jammu and Kashmir. Recognising its significance, the USBRL project was declared a ‘National Project’ in 2002, with 38 tunnels covering a combined length of 119 km. The longest, Tunnel T-49, spans 12.75 km, making it the country’s longest transportation tunnel.

The project also features 927 bridges spanning a combined 13 km, including the iconic Chenab Bridge with an overall length of 1315 m, an arch span of 467 m, and towering 359 m above the riverbed—making it taller than the Eiffel Tower and acclaimed as the world's highest arch railway bridge.