Builder of world’s highest railway bridge doing Croatia’s largest rail project

Chenab Railway Bridge (Photo: Afcons)

Indian engineering and construction company Afcons Infrastructure Ltd will undertake what is being described as the largest railway project in Croatia’s history.

Croatian railway infrastructure operator HŽ Infrastruktura announced last month that Afcons submitted the most economically favourable bid in the public procurement process, valued at €677,055,750.67 excluding VAT.

The project covers the reconstruction of the existing railway line and the construction of a second track along the 83-kilometre Dugo Selo–Novska section, one of Croatia’s most important international rail corridors.

The investment, which is co-financed by European Union funds, also includes upgrades to stations and stops, modernisation of signalling and traffic management systems, improvements to railway power infrastructure and the enhancement of safety measures along the route.

Upon completion, trains will be able to operate at speeds of up to 160 km/h, significantly improving rail connectivity and transport efficiency.

About Afcons

The contract marks another major international project for Mumbai-based Afcons Infrastructure, the flagship engineering and construction company of India’s Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

With a history spanning more than six decades, Afcons has built a reputation for delivering large-scale and technically complex infrastructure projects in challenging environments across India and overseas.

According to the latest Engineering News-Record (ENR) rankings, the company is among the world’s top international contractors, ranking 12th globally in bridge construction and eighth in marine and ports infrastructure.

Among its most notable achievements is the Chenab Railway Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, recognised as the world’s highest single-arch railway bridge.

Chenab Railway Bridge (Photo: Afcons)

Rising 359 metres above the Chenab River, the structure stands higher than the Eiffel Tower and was opened to public transport in 2025.

Afcons also delivered the Atal Tunnel in the Indian Himalayas. At 9.02 kilometres in length, it is the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, providing year-round connectivity through terrain previously cut off during winter months.

Atal Tunnel (Photo: Afcons)

Another flagship project is the Missing Link development on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, which includes India’s tallest road cable-stayed bridge, featuring pylons reaching 182 metres in height.

Missing Link (Photo: Afcons)

The Croatian railway contract represents one of Afcons’ most significant European infrastructure projects to date.

Following the contractor’s formal introduction to the project, construction works are expected to last five years and 10 months.