Chakki Bridge on Jmu-Dehli Railway line declared safe: Northern Railway

Srinagar, July 23: Northern Railway on Wednesday clarified that the Chakki Railway Bridge, located between Pathankot Cantt and Kandrori stations on the Pathankot–Jalandhar Cantt route, remains structurally safe and operational despite recent flash floods in the region.Chief Public Relations Officer Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay told Rising Kashmir said that the water level of the Chakki River had risen sharply on July 20 and 21, 2025, due to intense rainfall, prompting precautionary measures by railway authorities. “A speed restriction of 20 kmph has already been in place since August 1, 2024, on the bridge as a safety measure,” he said.Refuting media reports suggesting that a significant portion of the bridge’s foundation was washed away allegedly averting a potential disaster on the Jammu–Delhi rail corridor  Upadhyay asserted that the claims were unfounded.“The portion reported as ‘foundation’ was, in fact, a redundant cladding over the slope, which had no structural bearing on the bridge’s integrity. This cladding fell into the river on July 21 due to heavy water flow and was already marked for removal,” he said.CPRO added that this redundant cladding was part of slope protection work being carried out based on expert advice from IIT Roorkee.“This has no impact on rail safety. There is no danger to the Chakki Railway Bridge, and train operations continue as per regulated safety protocols,” Upadhyay added.Further reinforcing safety assurances, the Chief Bridge Engineer inspected the site on July 22.”The bridge is under 24×7 monitoring by deployed watchmen and CCTV surveillance. Restoration and pile foundation work will resume once the water level in the river recedes,” he said. The move comes following the flash floods in the region, which led to widespread speculation on social media regarding the safety of the vital Jammu–Delhi railway link.Northern Railway has urged the public and media to rely on verified updates and avoid spreading misinformation that could cause unnecessary panic