Before Kashmir Tensions with Pakistan Subside, Indian PM Modi Inaugurates Ambitious Railway Project in the Region
Srinagar, India – June 6, 2025 —
Amid lingering military tensions with Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated one of the country’s most ambitious railway projects in Kashmir. For the first time, this railway line connects the Kashmir Valley to mainland India by train.
According to Indian Railways, the 272-kilometer railway stretches from Udhampur in Jammu to Baramulla in Kashmir’s capital region of Srinagar, ending near the Line of Control in the disputed Himalayan border area.
The project, estimated to cost approximately $5 billion, includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, aimed not only at improving passenger and freight transport but also enhancing military logistics.
The most striking feature of the railway is the massive steel-and-concrete bridge over the Chenab River, measuring 1,315 meters in length and 359 meters in height above the river—making it taller than the Eiffel Tower. The bridge is designed to withstand winds up to 260 km/h and has a projected lifespan of 120 years.
On Friday, under tight security, Modi visited the Chenab Bridge, raised the national flag, and embarked on a trial journey aboard a test train. He also inaugurated the Anji Bridge, another major high-altitude structure in the project.
Modi stated that the new railway line will “ensure year-round connectivity,” “boost religious tourism,” and “create new livelihoods.”
He also launched two modern “Vande Bharat” trains, which will reduce travel time between Srinagar and Katra from six or seven hours to just three hours.
Modi’s visit comes shortly after a gunman attack in late April, in which 26 people—mostly Hindu tourists—were killed in Kashmir. That incident significantly escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to missile and drone strikes across the border by both nations.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack, though Islamabad denied any involvement.
Both India and Pakistan claim full ownership of Kashmir, though they control different parts of the region separately.
Since 1989, the India-administered part of Kashmir has been the site of an ongoing separatist insurgency, which New Delhi blames on Pakistan. However, Pakistan has consistently denied supporting the rebels.
