After 15 years of construction, the Indian Army is preparing to open the world’s tallest railway bridge in the remote and controversial area of Kashmir.

The most recent infrastructure development, aimed at enhancing defense capabilities and uniting the area and the nation, is this one.

In comparison to Paris’ Eiffel Tower, which stands at 359 metres, the Chenab Rail Bridge, which spans the same river, is 29 metres taller. The connection would be operational by the end of December or beginning of January 2024, according to the Ministry of Railways. The administration asserts that doing this will help Kashmir reach “prosperity.”

The Indian military will also have significant strategic benefits. Access to the Ladakh area is anticipated to be made possible by the bridge in practically any weather.

D.S. Hooda, a former commander of the northern division of the Indian Army, said that it would “truly alter the game” in terms of military might, regional trade, and tourism. He said that it will help Kashmiris carry their apples and other items in addition to giving the army a quick way to transfer troops and equipment, according to Indian Defense News.

According to Hooda, a train is 50 times more capable of carrying cargo than a vehicle.

Major General Amrit Pal, a former commander of army logistics, explained how the bridge should save travel time.

Convoys take 12 hours to go from Jammu to Srinagar, while logistic convoys take 16 hours, according to him. “The trip will now be completed in three hours.”

In the end, logistics is all about getting the right people to the right place at the right time, said Pal.

According to Indian Defense News, some Kashmiris are wary of efforts to further ingratiate the primarily Muslim area into India’s national fabric, despite the bridge’s potential economic benefits.