An Engineer Who Constructed 'The Tallest Bridge In The World'

The engineering achievement was the main focus of PM Narendra Modi’s Friday opening of the tallest railway bridge in the world across the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. A quiet yet crucial academic from Bengaluru worked behind the scenes to create this wonder.

Professor Dr. G Madhavi Latha of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has been a geotechnical consultant for the Chenab Bridge project for the past 17 years. The project is a component of the ambitious 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar- Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL).

The government referred to the bridge, which is 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower and cost Rs 1,486 crore, as the “biggest civil engineering difficulty faced by any Indian railway project in recent history”.

Madhavi Latha

Latha collaborated closely with the project’s principal contractor, Afcons, to address the region’s intricate topography and geology.

She was responsible for providing guidance on the positioning of rock anchors to stabilize slopes and guaranteeing structural integrity during construction. She later documented the procedures and difficulties she faced in an article she wrote for the Indian Geotechnical Journal.

Latha started her academic career with a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from JNTU in 1992 and then went on to receive a gold medal for her M.Tech in Geotechnical Engineering from NIT Warangal. She is currently a HAG professor at IISc.

In 2000, she earned her PhD from IIT Madras. In 2022, she was listed among India’s “Top 75 Women in STEAM” and in 2021, the Indian Geotechnical Society recognized her the Best Woman Geotechnical Researcher. Her most significant and long-lasting contribution is the Chenab Bridge, a project that was initially authorized in 2003.

The magnificent construction of the tallest railway bridge in the world in Kashmir Prior to steel arches crossing the Chenab River or construction cranes dotting the skyline, the world’s tallest railway bridge was built using something far more humble: mules and horses.

During the initial phases of the project, when there were no access roads, engineers and laborers had to use animals to get across the difficult Himalayan terrain. A representative from Afcons Infrastructure, the company responsible for the engineering achievement, told PTI that “at first, the project team used mules and horses to reach the location”.

To provide room for equipment and supplies, temporary tracks were installed over time and progressively replaced by permanent access roads, which are 12 km on the south bank and 11 km on the north.

A decades-long engineering dream to connect Kashmir to the rest of the nation by train was finally realized. The Chenab Bridge is currently 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower, rising 359 meters above the riverbank.

Tallest Railway Bridge

Each and Every workers who worked on this project has contributed significantly to the creation of this miracle. Bravo to every workers.Thanks to all the animals used in this project.