Dr G Madhavi Latha, a professor from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has requested people not to make her “unnecessarily famous” after her contribution to the Chenab Bridge project came into the spotlight.
In a post on LinkedIn, she said she was just one of the thousands who worked on the bridge and that many unsung heroes deserved appreciation.
Dr Latha worked as a geotechnical consultant to Afcons, the engineering firm that constructed the bridge, and helped develop slope stabilisation schemes and foundation designs on slopes.
She has been involved with the Chenab Bridge for 17 years and guided the team through complex geotechnical challenges faced during construction.
Dr Latha and her team used a “design-as-you-go” method during the project. This meant that as they discovered new ground conditions like fractured rocks and hidden cavities that earlier surveys had missed, they adjusted the designs in real time.
Highlights from a memorable visit to Jammu and Kashmir. The Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Bridge are transformative projects! pic.twitter.com/rfTtxYvo98
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 7, 2025
Her expertise in rock anchor design and slope stability played a key role in overcoming these challenges. She also wrote about her technical experience in a paper titled ‘Design as You Go: The Case Study of Chenab Railway Bridge’, which was published in a special women’s issue of the Indian Geotechnical Journal.
Last Friday, June 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir. It is the world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 metres above the Chenab River, which is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower.
The bridge was built at a cost of INR 1,486 crore (USD 173.63 million) as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) and is seen as a major step in improving connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.
The construction faced many difficulties due to the terrain, seismic risks, and unpredictable geology. The Indian Railways and Afcons completed what has been called the biggest civil-engineering challenge they have ever taken on.
The successful completion of the bridge has been celebrated across the country, with many calling it a once-in-a-lifetime project. Dr Latha, currently attending a conference in Spain, thanked everyone who sent her congratulatory messages and said all the glory belongs to Indian Railways.
