Indian premier inaugurates world's tallest railroad in Kashmir

By Nusrat Sidiq

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir (AA) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the world's tallest railroad in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, as well as other critical infrastructure projects connecting the region to the rest of the country.

As part of the project, the prime minister inaugurated the Chenab Rail Bridge, which is designed to withstand seismic and wind loads. The bridge is expected to cut the travel time between Kashmir and Delhi by three hours.

Modi then inaugurated the Anji Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, which has been constructed in the region's difficult mountainous terrain.

The 272-kilometer (169-mile) project, which costs approximately 437.8 billion Indian rupees (about $5.11 billion), includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges.

Modi landed at the Indian Air Force base in the Udhampur district of Jammu province on Friday and flew to the Chenab Bridge, the world's tallest arch bridge, which stands 359 meters above the riverbed and is 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower.

This is his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the Pahalgam attack in April, which killed 26 people.