The Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has supplied 16,000 tonnes of steel for the construction of the world’s tallest railway bridge spanning the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir. Of this total, the Bhilai Steel Plant contributed approximately 12,400 tonnes, according to a company official on Friday.

The announcement coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off the first train service to the Kashmir Valley and inaugurating several infrastructure projects. Among these were the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab and India’s first cable-stayed arch bridge.

A senior Bhilai Steel Plant official stated, “Bhilai Steel Plant and other SAIL units have supplied 16,000 tonnes of steel, including plates, TMT bars, and structural steel, for the Chenab bridge. This is a matter of pride for both SAIL and BSP.”

Standing 1.3 kilometres long and towering 35 metres above the height of the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab bridge is hailed as an engineering marvel. It has been designed to endure high wind speeds up to 266 kilometres per hour and withstand seismic forces of the highest intensity.

Of the total 16,000 tonnes, the supply included 6,690 tonnes of TMT products, 1,793 tonnes of structural steel, and 7,511 tonnes of plates, hot strip mill products, and chequered plates. The Bhilai Steel Plant alone provided 5,922 tonnes of TMT steel, 6,454 tonnes of plates, and 56 tonnes of structural steel.

Other SAIL facilities involved in the project include the IISCO Steel Plant at Burnpur, the Durgapur Steel Plant, the Rourkela Steel Plant, and Bokaro Steel Ltd, which collectively contributed the remaining steel volume.