Back from the ancient civilisation of Mohenjodaro to the nationâs broad-sweeping civil enterprises in the post-Independence era, India has been home to engineers of incredible tenacity and ambition. Along with making our lives more modernised than ever before, theyâve also resulted in grand opportunities for employment and connections between cities and states. 

An excellent future example can be found in recent plans to construct a 20-kilometer long, four-lane bridge between Assam and Meghalaya - a behemoth Rs. 4,997 crore project that sweeps over the vast Brahmaputra river, and promises to become the longest bridge in the subcontinent by 2027.

Here are some marvels that have already made Indiaâs civil engineers and the rest of the populace proud alike, over the last few decades.

1. Pamban Bridge

© Government of Tamil Nadu

A stunning railway bridge that floats between Tamil Naduâs mainland and the southward island of Rameswaram, this 100+ year-old marvel has been recently restored in 2019 and has perhaps one of the most stunning, immersive views you can experience while travelling by the Indian Railways. While it isnât the longest at around 2 kilometres, cyclone threats and the worldâs second-most corrosive coastal environment made this bridge a serious challenge for engineers. It even features a picturesque âBasculeâ style lifting section, which allows ships to pass through.

2. P.V. Narasimha Rao Expressway

© YouTube

Opened to the public in 2009 after a long 4-year construction process, the âPVNR Expresswayâ was named after âIndiaâs Father of Economic Reformsâ and perhaps rightly so - the Rs 500 crore project forms a major lifeline for Hyderabadâs economic centres as the longest flyover ever constructed in the country.

3. Pir Panjal Tunnel

© Wikimedia

Railway tunnels are perhaps one of the most fun parts of train travel through Indiaâs several mountainous regions, and this massive-scale infrastructure project happens to be the longest one in the country at just over 11 kilometres. Taking a lengthy 9-and-a-half minutes to cross, it was the first time India had ever used the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) to construct a railway tunnel - using the Pir Panjal mountain rangeâs unique geological structures to keep the tunnel stable and structurally sound.

4. Chenab Bridge

© Wikimedia

Currently under construction, the Chenab bridge is located in the Resai district of Jammu. Spanning the width of the Chenab river, this bridge is supported at around 1,178 ft above the riverbed, making it the worldâs highest rail bridge. Itâs an incredible engineering feat considering not just the height and logistical challenges involved, but the rugged terrain and tough geological conditions of the Himalayan ranges it intends to connect.

5. Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project

© Wikimedia

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is the largest of its kind in the world and one of Asiaâs greatest-ever infrastructure investments, costing a whopping Rs. 1.2 lakh crore to complete. After the state of Telangana experienced serious water woes in the the mid-2010s, the project was initiated in 2016 and completed in 2019 - allowing the Godavari river to extend into a near-2,000 kilometre chain of water supply thatâs helped thousands of farmers and replenished groundwater supplies in villages across the state.

6. Project Himank Roads

© Conde Nast Traveller

You may have thought that the famed Khardung La Pass in Ladakh is the worldâs highest road, but this lofty title was recently snatched away in 2017 by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Project Himank road, which runs through Umlingla Top at a dizzying 19,300 feet - thatâs over half the height of Mt. Everest! The road also has its fair share of amusing caution signs, that read messages such as âI'm curvaceous, but please take me slowly,â and âLet your insurance policy mature before you.â

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