On June 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge—the world’s tallest railway arch bridge—located in the Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir. Standing at a height of 359 meters, 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower, and stretching 1.31 kilometers across the Chenab River, the bridge marks a major engineering milestone. Modi’s symbolic gesture of walking atop the bridge with the Indian flag sent a strong message of national unity, technical prowess, and strategic resolve.

Part of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla rail link project, the ₹1,486 crore bridge is built to endure extreme conditions, resisting temperatures from –10°C to 40°C, earthquakes, strong winds, and heavy snowfall. Designed to be blast-proof, the bridge ensures all-weather, rapid military mobility to border zones, significantly boosting strategic preparedness. The Prime Minister’s visit to Kashmir, his first since Operation Sindoor, underlined the twin themes of development and national security in the region.

The inauguration also sets the stage for the launch of the Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, expected to enhance tourism, trade, and regional connectivity. Following the event, the government announced ₹2,300 crore worth of new development projects in Jammu & Kashmir, including infrastructure and fertilizer initiatives. Modi’s walk with the national flag across the bridge was not just symbolic—it was a firm geopolitical signal to adversaries that India’s march towards strategic and infrastructural strength is unwavering, even in its most sensitive territories.