KATRA/SRINAGAR: Festive cheer filled Katra, the base city for the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, ahead of a grand railway inauguration ceremony to be led by Prime Minister Modi on Friday, marking a new era of connectivity for Kashmir and the country.
The PM will flag off two new Kashmir-specific, specially designed Vande Bharat trains and inaugurate two engineering marvels: the Chenab Bridge (the world’s highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower) and the Anji Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge. “We are fortunate to witness a new rise in rail services which were earlier not even being thought out by us,” said Nadeem, a young taxi driver, adding, “Development doesn’t disseminate on caste or religion.”
The local population expressed immense pride not only in the inauguration of the world’s tallest single-arch rail bridge – taller than both the Eiffel Tower and the Qutub Minar – but also in the newly designed Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat trains, which are set to begin commercial operations from June 7.
“I had read in books that a train will ply from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. But it is now going to happen in reality. This is a dream come true. Better late than never,” said a university student, Riyaz Ahmad.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the grand inauguration, Modi posted, “Tomorrow, June 6, is indeed a special day for my sisters and brothers of Jammu and Kashmir. Key infrastructure projects worth Rs 46,000 crore are being inaugurated,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of the Chenab rail bridge, the PM said, “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”.
He further added, “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”.
Echoing similar sentiments, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted, “Tomorrow is a landmark day for J&K when, finally, the valley will be connected to the rest of the country by a railway link to be inaugurated at the hands of the PM.” The CM visited the Chenab bridge to review arrangements for the PM’s visit.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that initially, Vande Bharat trains will operate between Katra and Srinagar, but will later extend to run between Jammu and Srinagar. “Now works in Jammu railway station are going for development. After works are completed, the trains will run between Jammu and Srinagar,” Vaishnaw said.