Chenab rail bridge inaugration: Ashwini Vaishnaw hails 'historic day'; Made possible due to PM Modi's 'steely determination'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the final stretch of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL), officially connecting Kashmir to the rest of India via rail for the first time in history.

The event marked the launch of the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River and the country’s first cable-stayed Anji Bridge.Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called the occasion “historic”, as the long-cherished dream of linking the Kashmir Valley through rail finally came true thanks to the “ steely determination, hard work and laser-sharp focus of our Prime Minister.” “The nation had nurtured the dream of the Jammu-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line for decades,” Vaishnaw said at the inauguration in Katra. “There were great challenges in its construction... Instead of trying to conquer nature, working in harmony with nature, this railway line has become a reality today through this network of bridges and tunnels,” ANI quoted the rail minister.Describing the day as one where “another jewel has been added to Maa Bharti’s crown”, Vaishnaw praised the engineering feat behind the 359-metre-high Chenab Bridge, which now stands as tallest railway bridge in the world and the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway structure.

Both form critical links in the 272-km USBRL project, built at a cost of over Rs 43,780 crore.Prime Minister Modi also flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Katra, establishing high-speed rail connectivity between the Jammu division and Kashmir. The trains, customised for the cold climatic conditions of the valley, will cut travel time between Katra and Srinagar from 6–7 hours by road to just about three hours.Before the launch, the Prime Minister interacted with schoolchildren and railway staff on board, and in a symbolic gesture, waved the national flag from the deck of the Chenab Bridge.The USBRL project includes 36 tunnels spanning 119 km and 943 bridges, a monumental effort across some of India’s most challenging terrain. Officials say the all-weather rail connectivity will usher in a new era of economic growth, tourism, and social inclusion in Jammu and Kashmir.Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and former chief minister Omar Abdullah were also present at the ceremony.