Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to inaugurate the long-awaited Kashmir rail link and dedicate multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore to the nation in Katra. This marks his first visit to the Union Territory since Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Armed Forces in response to the April 22nd Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, predominantly tourists.
A multi-tier security setup has been implemented for the Prime Minister’s visit. Officials have indicated a high-security alert across Jammu and Kashmir, with senior police, paramilitary forces, army, and intelligence officers personally overseeing the arrangements. Heavy security deployments, including the use of drones and other advanced equipment, are in place around the venues. Security measures have been intensified along the borders and in the hinterland to prevent infiltration and the movement of anti-national elements. Additionally, area domination operations and raids on suspected individuals, including Over Ground Workers and relatives of terrorists operating from across the border, have been ramped up. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu-Kathua-Samba range, Shiv Kumar, on Wednesday, directed officers in border areas to maintain heightened vigilance. Traffic diversions and road closures are anticipated on Friday, particularly on roads leading to Katra Stadium, the venue of the Prime Minister’s public rally.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the Chenab Bridge and India’s first cable-stayed Anji Bridge, both symbols of India’s engineering prowess. He will then flag off Vande Bharat trains, signifying the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), which will provide direct train connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.
The USBRL project, constructed at an approximate cost of Rs 43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels (spanning 119 km) and 943 bridges. This project is expected to establish all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and foster socio-economic integration. Two Vande Bharat Express trains will be flagged off from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar and back, offering a swift, comfortable, and reliable travel option.
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate, and dedicate numerous development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine. These projects include:
- Road Projects: Laying the foundation stone for the road widening project from Rafiabad to Kupwara on National Highway-701 and the construction of the Shopian bypass road on NH-444, collectively valued at over Rs 1,952 crore. He will also inaugurate two flyover projects at Sangrama Junction on National Highway-1 in Srinagar and at Bemina Junction on National Highway-44, aimed at easing traffic congestion.
- Healthcare Infrastructure: Laying the foundation stone of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra, valued at over Rs 350 crore. This will be the first medical college in Reasi district, significantly enhancing the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
The 272 km USBRL project was commissioned in phases. The 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla section was commissioned in October 2009, followed by the 18 km Banihal-Qazigund section in June 2013, the 25 km Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014, and the 48.1 km Banihal-Sangaldan stretch in February of the previous year. The 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June of the previous year, with the remaining 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra finalized in December 2024.
