Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir today marks not just the inauguration of infrastructure, but the dawning of a new era for the Union territory. The flagging off of the first-ever Vande Bharat train to Kashmir valley, the formal commissioning of the Chenab Rail Bridge, and the dedication of projects worth ₹46,000 crore sends a powerful message across — the promise of inclusive development is being delivered with unwavering resolve.
This momentous occasion falls on the eve of Eid-ul-Adha, making it even more special. For the people of Jammu and Kashmir, this is not just progress — it is an Eid gift, a long-awaited fulfilment of the promise of connectivity, inclusion, and dignity.
For decades, Kashmir’s isolation — both physical and symbolic — was seen as a barrier to growth, opportunity, and connection with the rest of India. Today, that isolation is being dismantled not just through policy and dialogue, but with steel, concrete, and vision. The 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), built through some of the world’s most challenging terrain with 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, is more than an engineering feat. It is a lifeline. An all-weather, all-region rail route binding Kashmir to the heart of India.
The Chenab Rail Bridge, now the world’s tallest, is a symbol of national willpower. At 359 meters above the riverbed, it isn’t just connecting mountains — it is connecting people, economies, aspirations. This visit also showcases the government’s broader commitment to balanced development.
In the shadow of recent terror attacks, including the brutal Pahalgam incident, this visit becomes even more significant. While our security forces respond to violence with courage and precision — as seen in Operation Sindoor — the nation’s leadership responds with development, with healing, with hope. That is the true counter-narrative to extremism.
What Kashmir sees today is the fruit of long-term investment, trust-building, and the central government’s focused push for connectivity, economic growth, and integration.
On Friday while people will be preparing for EID, Kashmir will witness the closing of one chapter and the opening of another — a chapter defined not by conflict, but by connectivity; not by remoteness, but by railways; not by isolation, but by integration.
Let this Friday, and the coming Eid, be remembered not just for festivities, but as the beginning of a new journey — on track, on time, and full of promise.
