On the eve of the inauguration of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that June 6 will be a special day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Tomorrow, 6th June, is indeed a special day for my sisters and brothers of Jammu and Kashmir. Key infrastructure projects worth Rs. 46,000 crores are being inaugurated, which will have a very positive impact on people’s lives”, the Prime Minister stated on his social media handle X, while reacting to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s post regarding his visit to the tallest bridge in the world.
“In addition to being an extraordinary feat of architecture, the Chenab Rail Bridge will improve connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar. The Anji Bridge stands tall as India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge in a terrain that is challenging”, the Prime Minister further stated, adding, “The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project ensures all weather connectivity and the Vande Bharat trains from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar will boost spiritual tourism and create livelihood opportunities”.
Historic milestone for J&K: Ashwani Vaishnaw
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday announced that June 6 will mark a historic milestone for Jammu and Kashmir, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project on Friday.
Interacting with media persons at Katra, where the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the railway line connecting Jammu and Srinagar-along with the iconic Chenab and Anji bridges-Vaishnaw said that a decades-old dream of linking Kashmir to the rest of the country through a railway network will finally be realised.
He added that the Prime Minister will flag off two specially-designed that will not only connect Jammu and Srinagar but also facilitate travel for pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine.
“The specially-designed Vande Bharat trains are meant to travel between Srinagar and Jammu, but for the time being, they will operate between Katra and Srinagar, as work at the Jammu railway station is still underway,” Vaishnaw said.
Union Ministers, Chief Minister Review PM’s Visit Preparations
Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dr. Jitendra Singh, along with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, reviewed preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit to Katra on Friday.
Earlier, Abdullah and Singh jointly visited the iconic Chenab Bridge site and other locations included in the Prime Minister’s daylong itinerary to assess the arrangements. Officials briefed them on the current status of the project, results of the trial runs, and security arrangements for the event. The bridge is expected to significantly boost rail connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir.
“Last-minute touches are being applied at the site of the inauguration of the world’s highest railway bridge-the Chenab Bridge-by PM Narendra Modi tomorrow,” Singh wrote on X, sharing photos of his visit alongside Abdullah.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also posted on social media: “Visited the tallest railway bridge in the world-The Chenab Bridge-to review arrangements for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji tomorrow. This is a landmark day for J&K, as the Valley will finally be connected to the rest of the country by rail.”
Vande Bharat Will Ease Travel Woes: Omar
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the Vande Bharat train, scheduled to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will prove beneficial for everyone.
Speaking to reporters, he said the Vande Bharat project was first conceptualised when he was in Class 7.
“It has been a long wait, and now the train is set to benefit us all. The impact of highway closures on people will be minimal, and exploitation by airlines will end. Currently, we are being charged ₹20,000 for a ticket instead of ₹5,000 when the highway is closed,” he said.
He further added that the Vande Bharat train has already set several records, including running over the Chenab Bridge-the world’s highest railway bridge-and the Anji Bridge, India’s longest cable-stayed rail bridge.