Bungee jumping & more coming up at world's tallest Chenab bridge

If you have ever dreamt of experiencing bungee jumping from a height above the Qutub Minar, your dream is going to be fulfilled in next few years. Yes, you are reading it right as India will be the home of the World's tallest Rail Bridge at Chenab by next year and the area adjoining the 359-metre steel bridge will have facilities for bungee jumping, water sports and trekking, beside a host of restaurants.

The bridge with a height more than the Eiffel Tower is part of the 325-km Udhampur-Srinagar Rail Corridor. It was declared a national project after it became economically unviable. In two years, the Indian Railways along with Jammu and Kashmir Tourism hopes to start generating revenue through the commercial activities associated with the steel bridge.

The 467-meter main steel arch span is being designed and forged at units in nearby Punjab and as far as Nagpur. The project coming in the most daunting geography of the world and more challenging than Andes in South America and Alps in Europe is an attempt to boost tourism and it has increased employment opportunities in the valley state. Construction of the Rs 1,200-crore bridge under the expertise of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) is in full swing under the design consultants from Germany and Finland.

"Realising its scenic beauty and tourism potential we had invited the state tourism department and they were excited to do some activities besides having food courts and restaurants on hillocks. There will be sight-seeing points, trekking routes, bungee jumping in these difficult terrains," KRCL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Sanjay Gupta told Millennium Post.

The 1.315-km-long rail bridge at the height of 359 metre which is 35 metres more than Eiffel Tower will have two halts at both the ends of the bridge.

"While Udhampur to Katra was commissioned in July 2014, Qazigund to Baramulla was commissioned in October 2009 and Banihal to Qazigund in June 2013. The only missing link in this entire Kashmir rail link is the Katra to Banihal and Chenab Rail Bridge is part of it. Once completed, Kashmir will be connected directly to any part of India. The link is slated to be commissioned in March 2021," said Anil Saxena, the Director General (Information) at Rail Ministry.