India-Pakistan conflict: Govt eyes Chenab Rail Bridge for troop, supply movement

The Chenab Rail Bridge, located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, connects remote mountainous terrain and is crucial for improving access to the Kashmir Valley. Part of the newly completed Kashmir railway network, the bridge, rising 359 metres above the riverbed, enhances strategic connectivity across the Pir Panjal range, helping bypass landslide-prone roads and drastically cutting travel time. 

While the bridge is yet to open for general passenger movement, its early use can strengthen military logistics and civilian supply chains in the region, said one of the persons cited above.

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“The trail of the last leg of Kashmir Rail project has tested stability and strength of tracks with test trains running at a speed 110 km per hour on the 180-degree rising grade. This could facilitate any train load required for movement in current tense times. The infrastructure has been developed to support both civilian and military movement," said the the other person cited above.

Safety inspections of the railway line between Katra and Banihal, the last segment of the Kashmir train network, were completed earlier this year by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. 

It would be made available for running freight and military trains for faster, safe, and efficient deployment of troops and equipment, as well as essential items, said the first person cited earlier.

Queries sent to the ministry of railways remained unanswered till press time.

M.K. Gupta, a former member (engineering) of the Railway Board, said the bridge and other railway infrastructure in Kashmir are fully equipped for both civilian and military use.

“Government policies follow a uniform structure for developing infrastructure projects. Like at other places, railway infrastructure in Kashmir, including the world’s tallest Chenab bridge, is fully capable of handling all kinds of movement including carrying troops and heavy military equipment," he said.

Earlier this year, the Railways had aimed to open the Jammu-Katra-Srinagar route for passenger movement, but last-minute work delayed the launch, the first person said. However, the line has already been tested multiple times for train movement of all kinds, and top government officials have been informed that it could be opened for military and essential goods transport in the interim, the person added.

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Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier indicated that the route, along with a Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat train, would open soon, covering the distance between the two junctions in just over three hours. He did not specify a timeline for commercial operations.

Katra-Banihal: The most challenging stretch

The 111-km Katra-Banihal section, part of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, is one of the most technically demanding railway projects undertaken in India post-Independence. 

It traverses the young Himalayan range, notorious for geological challenges, and predominantly involves tunnelling—97.42 km out of the 111 km. The longest tunnel, T-49, stretches 12.77 km, making it the country’s longest transportation railway tunnel.

This segment also includes the iconic Chenab Bridge, the highest railway arch bridge in the world, and the Anji Khad bridge, Indian Railways’ first cable-stayed bridge. The seven stations in this section—Khari, Sumber, Sangaldan, Sawalkote, Dugga, Bakkal, and Reasi—are built partly inside tunnels or on bridges due to space constraints, and the entire section is electrified.

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Beyond the Kashmir Rail network, dedicated freight corridors (DFCs) on the Eastern and Western fronts are already facilitating rapid military logistics. Designed for heavy freight, the DFCs enable swift transport of military gear, including tanks, a critical advantage during potential conflict scenarios.