PM's Grand Gift to Kashmir: Inaugurates Chenab-Anji Rail Bridges, Gives Green Signal to Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Train

National News: The distance from Katra to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir has now become a story of history, not only geography. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Vande Bharat Express from Katra railway station to Srinagar and linked India's most inaccessible area with fast progress. On this historic occasion, the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Fort Cable-Stad Bridge were also inaugurated-both of these have become a symbol of India's engineering capacity.

Chenab & Fort Bridge: Amazing confluence of technology and courage

Chenab Bridge, which is located at an altitude of 359 meters and is 1,315 meters in length, has now become the world's highest railway arch bridge. At the same time, the Figure Bridge is the country's first cable-stayed railway bridge. As soon as both the bridges start, the journey from Katra to Srinagar will now be completed in just 3 hours by the Vande Bharat train. Prime Minister Modi inspected the Chenab Bridge before the inauguration and also communicated with the employees present there.

First tour after Pahalgam attack

This was Prime Minister Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April. India started "Operation Sindoor" after the death of 26 innocent people in this attack. Now, in this sensitive background, PM Modi not only gave the message of peace and development but also gave impetus to economic reconstruction by inaugurating and founding the projects worth more than Rs 46,000 crore.

Rail, road and health - echo of development in every direction

PM Modi dedicated the 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link (USBRL) to the nation, including 36 tunnels and 943 bridges. Along with this, he started road-widening projects on NH-701 and NH-444 and also inaugurated two new flyovers on NH-1 and NH-44 in Srinagar.
Not only this, but the Reasi district has also received a gift of medical education for the first time. The foundation stone of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, to be built at a cost of Rs 350 crore, was laid here, which will be the first medical college in the region.

Tight security arrangements, high alert in valley

In view of this important visit of Prime Minister Modi, special security arrangements were made in Jammu and Kashmir. Along with the deployment of the army, CRPF, police, and intelligence agencies, the area was vigilant with the help of drones, bomb squads, and sniffer dogs. An attempt was made to neutralize the danger by raiding the hideouts of underground workers and suspects.

This visit of Prime Minister Modi is not only a sign of a basic change for Jammu and Kashmir, but it is also a sign of India's integrity, technological progress, and indomitable pace of development. Today, when the Vande Bharat Train crosses the Chenab Bridge, it is not just an iron and steel structure but a 130-year-old dream-beating bridge.