In his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Chenab bridge, the world’s highest rail arch bridge, to the nation on Friday. The century-old dream to provide a rail link to Kashmir with the rest of the country has become a reality now.
Standing 359 metres above the Chenab River, the bridge is the world’s highest railway arch and part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. The 1,315-metre-long structure, built to withstand 260 kmph winds and seismic activity, is expected to drastically reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just about three hours.
Earlier, PM Modi spoke with J&K CM Omar Abdullah, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister Jitendra Singh as he watched an exhibition on USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) project; also interacted with people who worked on the project.
The Prime Minister will also flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar and back. The flagging off ceremony will be done at Katra, the base town of the Vaishnodevi shrine, by the PM. Thereafter, the Vande Bharat will start running between Katra in the Jammu region and Baramulla in North Kashmir.
The launch of the train service was earlier scheduled for 19 April but was postponed given bad weather conditions predicted for that day. Further delay was caused because of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, followed by Operation Sindoor in which the Indian Armed Forces carried out strikes on terror infrastructures and military installations deep inside Pakistan and PoJK from 7 to 10 May.
PM Modi will also visit the country’s first cable-stayed bridge at Anju on the railway track in the Reasi district before flagging off the train services from Katra.
During his day-long schedule, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Anji Bridge and will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore at Katra including the 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link(USBRL) project.
The USBRL project, constructed worth around Rs 43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges. The project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration.
He will also lay the foundation stone of road widening project from Rafiabad to Kupwara on National Highway-701 and the construction of Shopian bypass road on NH-444 worth over Rs 1,952 crore.
Besides, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate two flyover projects at Sangrama Junction on National Highway-1 in Srinagar and at Bemina Junction on National Highway-44. These projects will ease traffic congestion and enhance traffic flow for the commuters.
Also, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra, worth over Rs 350 crore. It will be the first medical college in the Reasi district, contributing substantially to the healthcare infrastructure in the region.
#WATCH | J&K: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves the Tiranga as he inaugurates Chenab bridge – the world’s highest railway arch bridge.#KashmirOnTrack
(Video: DD) pic.x.com/xfBnSRUQV5
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025