PM Modi set to inaugurate Kashmir Rail Link, Iconic bridges and Rs 46,000 Cr Projects; Omar Abdullah, Union Ministers review preparations in Katra
Srinagar, June 05 (KINS): A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark visit to Jammu & Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dr. Jitendra Singh visited Katra to oversee the final preparations for a historic set of inaugurations.
On Friday, the Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the world’s highest railway arch — the Chenab Bridge — along with the Anji Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge. Both engineering marvels are key components of the 272-kilometre-long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), which will finally establish direct train connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.
“This is a historic moment. Tomorrow, our Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the railway line connecting Jammu and Srinagar, alongside the iconic Chenab and Anji bridges,” said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw while speaking to the media in Katra as per news agency KINS.
Vaishnaw emphasized that the commissioning of the USBRL fulfills a long-standing national dream of linking the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India through the railway network. To mark the occasion, the Prime Minister will also flag off two specially-designed Vande Bharat Express trains that will operate between Katra and Srinagar, significantly enhancing travel for both locals and pilgrims visiting the revered Vaishno Devi shrine.
While the trains are currently planned to operate from Katra due to ongoing renovations at the Jammu railway station, Vaishnaw said the upgraded facility — featuring a world-class bridging system allowing seamless transfer between regular and high-altitude trains — is expected to be completed by September, after which the services will shift back to Jammu.
Ahead of the high-profile visit, CM Omar Abdullah and Minister Jitendra Singh jointly inspected the Chenab Bridge site and other venues on the Prime Minister’s itinerary. Singh posted photos from the site on social media platform X, noting: “Last-minute touches at the site of the inauguration of the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, by PM Narendra Modi tomorrow.”
Besides the railway inauguration, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate development projects worth over ₹46,000 crore during his visit to Katra, the gateway to the Trikuta Hills.(KINS)
