Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated two landmark railway infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir – the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Anji Cable-Stayed Bridge – describing them as key milestones in connecting the region with the rest of India.
Built over the Chenab River at a height of 359 metres, the Chenab bridge is the world’s highest railway bridge. The project was completed at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore over a period of more than eight years. The prime minister also flagged off the Anji bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, built over the Anji river.
Modi arrived at the site in a train engine coach and later walked across the Chenab bridge carrying the Indian tricolour. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present at the ceremony.
Speaking at a public rally in Katra following the inauguration, Modi said the projects marked a major step forward in the region’s development and integration. “The phrase ‘from Kashmir to Kanyakumari’ is now a reality in our railway network too,” he said.
He described the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) as a symbol of a “new, empowered Jammu and Kashmir” and praised the connectivity boost that the Chenab and Anji bridges would provide to the region.
“Today, the dream of lakhs of people in Jammu and Kashmir has come true,” Modi said, crediting his government for completing the ambitious and challenging projects. “All the good work seems to be left for me to complete. Our government chooses to challenge the challenge itself.”
He also highlighted that the all-weather infrastructure being built in the Union Territory is helping transform the region’s economic prospects and quality of life.
The USBRL project is expected to significantly improve rail connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar, making travel easier and boosting economic opportunities across the region.
