Jammu: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the final arrangements ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Katra to flag off the Katra-Srinagar train.
“Last minute touches at the site of the inauguration of the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, by PM @narendramodi tomorrow,” Dr Singh posted on X. He further posted, “#Katra Railway Station all decked up for flagging off #VandeBharat to #Kashmir by PM Modi.” Meanwhile, Abdullah posted, “Visited the tallest railway bridge in the world, The Chenab Bridge, to review arrangements for the visit of the PM @narendramodi ji tomorrow.” “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 Honorable Prime Minister,” the Chief Minister posted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Chenab bridge and visit the bridge deck, and will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate, and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore tomorrow (Friday) at Katra in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
PM Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir on June 6, and in line with his commitment to boost rail infrastructure and connectivity in the region, he will visit and inaugurate the Anji bridge and flag off the Vande Bharat Trains. The Prime Minister will also dedicate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project to the nation, it read. The release said that the 272 km long USBRL project, constructed worth around Rs 43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels (spanning 119 km) and 943 bridges. The project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration.
The Prime Minister will also flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar and back, read the PIB release, adding that in a major boost to last-mile connectivity, especially in border areas, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various road projects. He will lay the foundation stone of the road widening project from Rafiabad to Kupwara on National Highway-701 and the construction of Shopian bypass road on NH-444 worth over Rs 1,952 crore.
