TV
In a historic and emotionally charged moment for every Indian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir — a gleaming testament to India’s engineering brilliance and unyielding spirit.
Standing 359 metres above the riverbed, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab Bridge is not just a marvel of steel and grit but a symbol of India’s undivided resolve. After inaugurating the Rs 1,486 crore project, PM Modi unfurled and waved the Tiranga atop the bridge, asserting India’s dominance and unity in the face of terror threats.
“This is our reply to those who try to break Kashmir and India’s spirit,” PM Modi declared, making a direct reference to Pakistan-sponsored terror, barely weeks after the brutal Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 innocent lives.
Addressing the nation, Modi condemned Pakistan’s cowardly act, calling the Pahalgam incident an assault on Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, and India’s unity. “Pakistan attacked humanity and Kashmir’s soul with its proxy terror. It wanted to instigate riots and halt Kashmir’s progress. But the brave hearts of Jammu and Kashmir and India’s leadership will never bow down,” PM Modi affirmed.
The Chenab Bridge, part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), will permanently integrate Kashmir with the rest of India through all-weather rail connectivity for the first time in history. Modi also flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Katra, slashing travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just three hours - a transformational milestone for the region.
“This bridge is not just steel and concrete; it is India’s courage arching across the valleys of Kashmir,” Modi declared as he waved the national flag, a moment many are calling India’s defiant answer to Pakistan’s conspiracies.
With Operation Sindoor fresh in memory, PM Modi’s soaring Tiranga and towering words reaffirmed that Kashmir’s destiny lies with India, and no force - neither cross-border terror nor foreign propaganda - can derail its path to peace, progress, and pride.
