Onlykashmir.in Desk
In a moment that stirred the soul of a nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood atop the majestic Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Friday, June 6, 2025.
With the Indian national flag, the Tiranga, held aloft in his hands, he unfurled a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and unyielding national pride. The inauguration of this engineering marvel marked a historic milestone, not just in India’s infrastructure journey but in its enduring spirit to rise above challenges.
Perched 359 meters above the roaring Chenab River, the Chenab Bridge stands as a towering testament to India’s ingenuity and determination. As a vital link in the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, this 1,315-meter-long steel arch, meticulously engineered to brave seismic tremors and fierce Himalayan winds, weaves the Kashmir Valley into the heart of India’s rail network.
With Vande Bharat trains now slashing the journey from Katra to Srinagar to just three hours, the bridge promises to breathe new life into tourism, trade, and economic prosperity in the Jammu and Kashmir.
The ₹43,780 crore USBRL project, a triumph over decades of daunting Himalayan challenges, includes 97.4 km of tunnels and 49 bridges in the 111-km Katra-Banihal stretch, with the Chenab and Anji bridges shining as jewels of engineering brilliance.
Yet, this moment of triumph was imbued with profound emotion, coming mere weeks after the heart-wrenching Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. The brutal assault, which stole 26 lives, mostly tourists, struck at the soul of India, leaving a nation grieving and enraged.
Linked to Pakistan-based militants, the attack ignited a firestorm of outrage and escalated tensions across the border. India’s response was swift and resolute: on May 7, Operation Sindoor saw the armed forces strike nine terror launchpads across the Line of Control, a decisive blow hailed as a testament to India’s unwavering stand against terrorism.
Against this backdrop of grief and defiance, PM Modi’s Tiranga wave atop the Chenab Bridge soared as an illuminating of hope and strength.
The image of the Tricolour fluttering against the Himalayan skyline sent an electrifying message: India will not bow to terror. On X, citizens poured out their emotions, calling the moment a “resounding reply” to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam tragedy.
They celebrated the bridge as a lifeline to revive tourism and heal a region scarred by violence. Modi’s visit, his first to Jammu and Kashmir since the attack and Operation Sindoor, was a poignant affirmation of India’s resolve, to build, to unite, and to triumph over adversity.
