Kashmir: In a momentous step towards national integration and infrastructure advancement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, the world’s tallest railway arch bridge, officially connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari by rail for the first time in India’s history.
Describing the occasion as a “festival of unity and willpower”, PM Modi hailed the bridge as a triumph of Indian engineering and determination. The Chenab Bridge, towering at 359 meters above the riverbed—even taller than the Eiffel Tower—now forms the linchpin of the long-awaited Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL).
“Indian engineers have accomplished the unimaginable. People go abroad to marvel at wonders like the Eiffel Tower, but now, they will come to Jammu and Kashmir to witness this engineering marvel,” PM Modi said during the dedication ceremony.
PM Modi also inaugurated the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, and flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains to enhance connectivity between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar. Together, these infrastructure feats mark the completion of the USBRL corridor—spanning 272 km—and fulfil a long-standing national dream.
“Today’s program is a grand celebration of India’s unity and strong willpower. With the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi, the Kashmir Valley has now been connected to the rail network. We have always spoken of ‘Kashmir to Kanyakumari’, and now, this has become a reality for the railway network as well,” he said to thunderous applause.
Highlighting the project’s emotional and economic importance, Modi called Jammu and Kashmir the “crown of Mother India” and emphasized the transformative impact of the all-weather rail link. “This connection will ensure Kashmiri produce, especially apples, reach markets across the country quickly and affordably,” he noted.
Recalling decades of delay, the Prime Minister remarked, “Even Omar Abdullah once said he had been waiting for this since his school days. Many governments spoke of it, but we got it done. Despite the challenges, we kept our promise.”
He further announced two new Vande Bharat Express trains for the region and laid the foundation stone of a new medical college, reiterating his government’s commitment to holistic development in Jammu and Kashmir. “Projects worth crores are being dedicated to the people of Jammu and Kashmir today,” PM Modi added.
