Mesmerising visuals have surfaced from Jammu and Kashmir of Vande Bharat Express train gliding through the scenic landscape of Anji and Chenab bridges.
The ministry of railways shared the video on X, "The iconic orange streak of #VandeBharatExpress powers through the challenging terrain, harmonising with the landscape as it gracefully crosses the awe-inspiring Anji Bridge and Chenab Bridge."
The first Vande Bharat train crossed bridges last month and the video captured showed captivating beauty of the Kashmir valley.
The Vande Bharat Express was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6.
The iconic Chenab Bridge is the world’s highest railway arch bridge, in Jammu and Kashmir.
Perched at a height of 359 metres above the river, the bridge is touted as an engineering marvel as it provides seamless connectivity between Katra and Reasi, and stands taller than Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower.
In his post on X ahead of his visit, PM Modi had described the bridge as an "extraordinary feat of architecture" and said that it will improve connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar.
The Chenab Bridge, which towers 1,178 feet above the riverbed, surpasses even the height of the Eiffel Tower. Its steel arch stretches 467 metres, with a total length of 1,315 metres. The architectural wonder is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, a crucial step toward improving rail connectivity in the Himalayan region.
Constructed using 28,000 tonnes of steel, the bridge has been designed to endure wind speeds exceeding 260 kmph and seismic tremors. It features 93 deck segments—each weighing around 85 tonnes—and was built with six lakh bolts and 17 spans.
The project was first approved in 2003 under then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and has taken 22 years to reach completion. Engineers launched deck segments from both ends of the valley, demonstrating a remarkable feat of precision and coordination.
The Anji Khad Bridge is built across the rugged Himalayan terrain, standing as India’s first cable stayed railway bridge. It spans the deep Anji River valley, south of the Chenab, connecting the Katra Banihal section of the Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Line.
About 80 kilometres from Jammu city, the bridge is set against a striking backdrop of Himalayan peaks. Towering 331 metres above the riverbed and stretching 725 metres across, it is anchored by 96 high tensile cables. At its heart stands an inverted Y shaped pylon that climbs 193 metres above its foundation. The total length of cable strand used in the bridge is an impressive 653 kilometres. Remarkably, the entire structure was completed in just 11 months.
Over 8,200 metric tonnes of structural steel have gone into its construction, ensuring strength and durability in a region shaped by young, restless mountains.
Built to endure tremors, strong winds and shifting geology, the Anji Khad Bridge is more than an engineering feat. It is a symbol of human will and vision.As part of the Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link, it promises to bring smoother travel, faster transit and greater economic opportunities to the region.
They are expected to become not just a key transport artery but also a major tourism draw. With the introduction of Vande Bharat trains on this route, travel time between Katra and Srinagar had dropped to about three hours.
They are also critical assets in India’s strategic infrastructure -- built to support the movement of heavy artillery and enable swift deployment of defence forces to border areas.
In light of the recent security concerns, including the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, their importance is further underscored.
At the same time, they serves as a tangible symbol of integration, further weaving Jammu and Kashmir more deeply into the rest of India.
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