Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that Jammu and Kashmir is now witnessing the fastest pace of infrastructure growth under the Narendra Modi-led government.
“Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir was given the least priority in development. Under Modi government, it is witnessing rapid development. Today, Modi ji dedicated the world’s highest railway arch bridge ‘Chenab Rail Bridge’ to the public. This reflects our commitment to Jammu and Kashmir’s progress,” Shah wrote on X.
He added, “This steel arch bridge built on the Chenab River is a living symbol of India’s engineering capability in the field of infrastructure.”
In another post, he wrote, “Congratulations to our sisters and brothers in J&K on the inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project by PM Shri @narendramodi Ji today. It will serve as a new artery of growth, making the progress of the region unstoppable. The two Vande Bharat trains flagged off today will instill more power in the region’s syncretic culture by boosting religious tourism to Vaishno Devi, while the new health and road projects worth ₹2,400 crore will further elevate living standards to a new height.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated several key railway and road infrastructure projects to the nation during his visit, including the Chenab Rail Bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, and the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). The USBRL project is 272 km long and has been completed at a cost of over Rs 11,000 crore.
Officials said the Chenab Bridge is the tallest railway bridge in the world, standing at 359 metres above the riverbed. The Anji Khad Bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge. These projects are part of a fully integrated all-weather railway route linking the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India.
Modi also laid the foundation stone for new road projects worth ₹1,952 crore. These include the widening of the Rafiabad-Kupwara section of NH-701 and the construction of the Shopian bypass on NH-444. Two flyovers were also inaugurated in Srinagar—one at Sangrama Junction (NH-1) and another at Bemina Junction (NH-44)—to help reduce traffic pressure.
In the health sector, the foundation stone was laid for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence at Katra. The Rs 350 crore facility will be the first medical college in Reasi district.
