New Delhi, June 4 (H.S.): Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is set to visit Jammu and Kashmir on 6th June to enhance rail infrastructure and connectivity. At around 11 AM, he will inaugurate the Chenab bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge at 359 meters, which is designed to withstand seismic and wind conditions. This 1,315-meter-long steel arch bridge will significantly improve connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar, cutting the travel time to just 3 hours via Vande Bharat trains. Following this, he will inaugurate the Anji bridge, India's first cable-stayed rail bridge.

During the visit, he will dedicate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, a 272 km rail network valued at approximately Rs 43,780 crore, which includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, thereby establishing all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India. Modi will also flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar.

In addition to rail projects, he will lay the foundation for various road initiatives, including a road widening project from Rafiabad to Kupwara and the Shopian bypass road, totaling over Rs 1,952 crore. Modi will inaugurate two flyover projects in Srinagar to alleviate traffic congestion. Furthermore, he will lay the foundation stone for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra, valued at over Rs 350 crore, marking a significant advancement in the region's healthcare infrastructure.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar