Modi Heads to Occupied Kashmir for ‘Strategic Railway’ Reveal

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing for his first trip to the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) following a recent conflict with Pakistan. His office announced on Wednesday that he will inaugurate a significant railway project in this mountainous area.

This predominantly Muslim region of Kashmir has been a focal point of intense rivalry between Pakistan and India, having been divided since both nations gained independence from British rule in 1947.

Modi’s visit is scheduled for Friday, during which he will unveil the Chenab Bridge, a remarkable 1,315-meter-long steel and concrete structure that arches 359 meters above the river, connecting two mountain ranges.

The Indian Prime Minister’s Office described the project as crucial for establishing reliable, year-round rail access between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.

He is anticipated to officiate the launch of a special train service.

Last month, India and Pakistan were engaged in one of their fiercest confrontations since 1999, lasting four days before a ceasefire was accepted on May 10.

The skirmish was prompted by an attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which New Delhi accused Pakistan of orchestrating—a claim Islamabad denies.

The 272-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway, comprising 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, was designed to enhance regional mobility and foster socio-economic integration.

At the heart of this infrastructure project lies the Chenab Bridge, dubbed the “world’s highest railway arch bridge” by Indian officials.

Although other road and pipeline bridges are taller, Guinness World Records has confirmed that the Chenab Bridge surpasses the Najiehe Bridge in China, previously the tallest railway bridge.

Indian Railways regards the $24-million Chenab Bridge as “one of the biggest civil engineering challenges faced by a railway project in India in recent years.”

This bridge will improve the transportation of civilians, goods, and military personnel that was previously reliant on precarious mountain roads and air travel.

The railway line is expected to cut travel time between Katra and Srinagar—Kashmir’s primary city—in half, reducing the journey to approximately three hours.

Additionally, the bridge is likely to revolutionize logistics in Ladakh, a frigid Indian region bordering China.

India and China, the two most populous countries, are engaged rivals vying for strategic dominance throughout South Asia.

Tensions escalated in 2020 when troops from both countries clashed, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers, with forces still engaged along disputed high-altitude borders.