Yogesh
Katra, Jun 6: Stating that Kashmir to Kanyakumari is no longer a dream, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday termed completion of Kashmir rail project as “festival of India’s unity, strength, and integration.”
After dedicating the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link Project (USBRL) addressed a massive public rally in Katra, marking his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the successful “Operation Sindoor” – a counter-terrorism operation launched in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
PM Modi said, “Today’s occasion is a festival of India’s unity, strength, and integration.”
He announced the operationalisation of two new Vande Bharat trains for Jammu and Kashmir, and laid the foundation for infrastructure projects worth over ₹46,000 crore, aiming to boost connectivity, tourism, and economic development in the Union Territory.
“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari is no longer a dream—it is now a reality for the Indian Railways. Stations like Udhampur and Baramulla are not just names on the map, they are part of the identity of a new Jammu and Kashmir,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also expressed pride in dedicating the iconic Chenab and Anji bridges to the nation.
Describing the Chenab Bridge as “taller than the Eiffel Tower,” he called it a future “tourist hotspot” and a symbol of India’s engineering prowess. “These bridges are not just made of steel and concrete. They represent the strength and resilience of New India,” he said, while praising the determination of engineers who worked under extreme conditions.
Referring to the decades-old aspiration for railway connectivity in the region, PM Modi referred to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s speech, saying, “The CM said that he had been waiting for this project since his school days in class 7 or 8. Today, that dream of lakhs has come true.”
He recalled comments from a student from Sangaldan, who had written that people in his village had never seen a real train and now they are looking forward towards economic and social transformation.
“A girl student wrote in a newspaper that now the weather will no longer dictate if roads remain open—this is the power of connectivity,” PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister also spoke of the transformation Jammu and Kashmir has seen in education and healthcare. “We now have NITs, IITs, AIIMS, and central universities in Jammu and Kashmir. Seven new medical colleges have been set up, and the number of MBBS seats has increased to 1,300,” he said, announcing a new medical college for Reasi, funded in part by contributions from Mata Vaishno Devi devotees.
Reflecting on the 11-year journey of the BJP-led NDA government, PM Modi highlighted its pro-poor governance model. “More than 25 crore Indians who once lived in poverty are now part of the growing middle class. These are not just statistics—these are lives transformed,” he said.
He emphasized that for the first time since 1947, so much focused work has been done for the middle class and poor. “People who are caught up in needless debates should open their eyes and see who has actually benefitted,” he asserted.
