PM Modi on Friday inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, the world's tallest railway arch bridge. The inauguration gave the nation an opportunity to feel proud of this remarkable engineering feat. Meanwhile, Professor G Madhavi Latha, who played a crucial role in ensuring structural safety throughout construction, credited thousands of "unsung heroes" and urged people not to make her "unnecessarily famous."
Latha, a geotechnical consultant for Afcons, the engineering firm that constructed the bridge, took to LinkedIn to "salute the millions of unsung heroes."
Shedding light on her contribution to the project, she said, "My role as a geotechnical consultant to AFCONS was to help develop slope stabilisation schemes and design foundations on slopes."
In a humble gesture, Dr Latha stated that the media giving her credit for building the bridge was unwarranted. "All other media statements like 'woman behind the mission,' 'made the impossible possible,' and 'performed miracles to build the bridge' are baseless," she said.
Latha, who has been involved with the Chenab Bridge project for 17 years, mentioned that she was moved by letters she had received from many children and parents.
"Many fathers have written to me saying they want their daughters to become like me. Many young children have written that they now want to pursue Civil Engineering as a career. I am extremely happy about this."
"Please don’t make me unnecessarily famous," she added. "I am one of thousands who deserve appreciation for the Chenab Bridge."
Dr G Madhavi Latha, a senior professor at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, expressed gratitude for the congratulatory messages she received while speaking at a conference in Spain. She shared that many parents had reached out, hoping their daughters would follow in her footsteps, and that numerous young people had been inspired to pursue careers in Civil Engineering.
The geotechnical engineering expert credited Indian Railways and Afcons for successfully completing what many had considered an impossible project. As a Higher Administrative Grade professor at IISc, Dr Latha played a crucial role in constructing the Chenab Bridge, which is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link.
The bridge's construction presented numerous challenges, including difficult terrain, seismic risks, and complex geological conditions. Dr Latha's team employed a flexible "design-as-you-go" methodology, allowing them to adapt their approach based on unexpected discoveries, such as fractured rock formations and undetected underground cavities. Her expertise was particularly vital in developing rock anchor systems and ensuring slope stability for such a massive structure.
She documented her technical experience in a research paper titled 'Design as You Go: The Case Study of Chenab Railway Bridge,' which was featured in a special women’s edition of the Indian Geotechnical Journal.
The completed bridge stands 359 metres above the Chenab River, making it 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and earning the distinction of being the world's tallest railway arch bridge. Built at a cost of ₹1,486 crore, Indian Railways considers it their most ambitious civil engineering project to date.
