PM Modi inaugurates world’s tallest Chenab rail bridge, completes ₹43,780 Cr Kashmir rail link project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Chenab railway bridge in Jammu & Kashmir’s Reasi district, officially opening the world’s highest railway arch bridge. Built 359 metres above the riverbed, the bridge is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.

After landing at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the Prime Minister flew to the Chenab bridge site for the formal inauguration. This is his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since Operation Sindoor, conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April. At the site, Modi interacted with engineers, workers, and officials involved in the project, and viewed an exhibition on the USBRL.

The USBRL project, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels covering 119 km and 943 bridges across difficult terrain. With the completion of the full 272-km rail stretch, Kashmir is now connected to the rest of India by rail. The Chenab bridge forms a critical link in this network.

During the visit, the Prime Minister also spoke with Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister Jitendra Singh. He is also scheduled to inaugurate the Anji bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, enhancing regional rail infrastructure further.

In addition to the rail projects, Modi will inaugurate road infrastructure projects including the widening of the Rafiabad-Kupwara road on NH-701, the Shopian bypass on NH-444, and flyovers at Sangrama and Bemina junctions in Srinagar. He will also flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar.