Prime Minister Modi Unveils Chenab Railway Bridge, A Marvel of Engineering
Inauguration of the Chenab Railway Bridge
Jammu, June 6: On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the Chenab Railway Bridge, following which he toured a photo exhibition that showcased the technical challenges encountered during its construction.
During his visit, PM Modi engaged with the engineers and skilled laborers who overcame significant weather and geographical obstacles to complete the world's tallest bridge, standing at 359 meters—35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower.
The Prime Minister praised the dedication of the engineers and workers for their remarkable achievement in finishing the bridge in record time, highlighting it as a feat of engineering brilliance.
Accompanied by MoS (PMO) Dr. Jitendra Singh and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PM Modi explored the exhibition that illustrated the various hurdles faced throughout the bridge's construction.
He expressed a strong interest in the technical difficulties encountered, receiving insights from Satish Kumar, the CEO of the Railway Board, during the exhibition.
Satish Kumar was present during the inauguration and accompanied the PM as he inspected the inaugural track.
The Prime Minister learned that the maintenance of the Katra-Srinagar railway line is fully mechanized, making it the first of its kind in India, thus ensuring the highest safety standards.
Additionally, PM Modi inaugurated the Anji Khad cable-stayed Railway Bridge, marking it as a unique railway bridge in the country.
Walking across the bridge while holding the national flag, he also traveled over it in a railway coach.
L-G Manoj Sinha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and CM Omar Abdullah joined PM Modi during this significant event.
Following this, the Prime Minister will head to Katra, the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, where he will flag off two Vande Bharat trains—one from Katra to Srinagar and another from Srinagar to Karra.
While he will physically flag off the Katra-Srinagar train, the Srinagar-Katra train will be inaugurated virtually.
Moreover, PM Modi is set to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects valued at ₹46,000 crore.