Chenab Bridge: A Marvel of Engineering and Persistence
Building the World’s Highest Rail Bridge
Creating the world’s highest rail bridge over the Chenab River was no easy feat. The project faced many hurdles. These included tough terrain, tricky geology, and long legal battles.
The Legal Struggle
From 2008 to 2009, several Public Interest Litigations (PILs) were filed in court. These PILs questioned:
- The project’s path
- The methods used
- The project’s cost
These legal challenges slowed down work on the Katra-Banihal section for nearly eight years.
A Breakthrough in 2016
The legal battle ended in 2016. In April, the Delhi High Court agreed with the railways. Three months later, the Supreme Court also dismissed the cases. This allowed full-scale construction to start.
Work kicked off in full force after July 2016. The Centre sent the then additional solicitor general, Maninder Singh, to argue against the challenges. A committee led by E Sreedharan had earlier expressed concerns about the project’s path.
After the Legal Proceedings
The legal proceedings ended with the Railway Board submitting a statement. The High Court declared that the Railway Board was fully confident in the safety and security of the existing path and the bridge over the Chenab River.
“The project would have been finished earlier if not for these court cases,” said a former Northern Railway official.
