PM Modi interacts with students, Railway staff during Vande Bharat inauguration in J&K's Katra | Watch video

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, interacted with school children and Railway personnel on the Vande Bharat Express prior to its inauguration at Katra Railway Station, reported ANI.

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PM Modi is in Jammu and Kashmir today, marking his first visit since the Pahalgam terror attack. He inaugurated multiple development projects worth more than ₹46,000 crore at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.

2 Vande Bharat trains inaugurated

On Friday, June 6, 2025 PM Modi flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains at Katra Railway Station, a direct link between the Jammu division and Kashmir.

The trains, which are designed to operate in cold climatic conditions, are expected to reduce the travel time between Katra and Srinagar from around six to seven hours by road to three hours.

The train will pass through the Anji Khad Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, and the Chenab Bridge, the tallest railway bridge globally.

Inauguration of Chenab bridge and Anji bridge

PM Modi also inaugurated the world's highest railway arch bridge - Chenab Railway Bridge and India's first cable-stayed Anji Bridge in Reasi district.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attended the inauguration.

These bridges are part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link project of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chenab Railway Bridge is part of the Katra-to-Sangaldan stretch that will connect New Delhi directly with Kashmir through Katra. With a height of 359 meters, this bridge will officially link the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India through the railway network for the first time in history.

The project encountered various engineering and logistical challenges due to the challenging terrain and sensitivity to seismic activity in the region.

Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, which spans 272 km and costs approximately ₹43,780 crore, comprises 36 tunnels and 943 bridges. The project aims to establish an all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and rest of India.