Katra, June 7: In a heartwarming and symbolic moment, a family from Varanasi celebrated their son’s sixth birthday on the world’s highest railway bridge — the Chenab Railway Bridge while travelling by the Vande Bharat Express train — on Saturday, turning the engineering marvel into a stage for cherished memories.
The family marked the occasion with joy and pride, expressing deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making such a moment possible. “We never imagined we would one day celebrate our child’s birthday on a bridge taller than the Eiffel Tower,” the father told IANS.
“This moment is truly special. Celebrating on this historic structure fills us with pride. We’re grateful to the Prime Minister for this gift to the nation,” he added. The mother echoed the sentiments, saying, “We could never have dreamed of something like this. This bridge isn’t just infrastructure, it’s now a part of our children’s most precious memories. Thank you, PM Modi.”
Even the young birthday boy chimed in with joy, saying, “I’m feeling very happy! Thank you, Modi Uncle, for this amazing birthday on such a high bridge!” The Chenab Railway Bridge, inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on Friday, stands as the tallest railway bridge in the world, surpassing the height of the Eiffel Tower.
Spanning the Chenab River, this architectural feat is part of the monumental Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), now fully operational and linking the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India by rail for the first time.
The inauguration coincided with PM Modi’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir following ‘Operation Sindoor’, launched after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
The launch of infrastructure projects, including the Chenab Bridge and two Vande Bharat Express trains between Katra and Srinagar, sent a powerful message of resilience and development.
Built at an estimated cost of Rs 43,780 crore, the USBRL project features 36 tunnels covering 119 km and 943 bridges. It offers year-round, all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley, revolutionising transport and trade in the region.
In Katra, the Prime Minister also inaugurated projects worth Rs 46,000 crore, underscoring his government’s commitment to regional development. Just weeks after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, the inauguration of multiple all-weather infrastructure projects in Kashmir served as a strong message from PM Modi that his government remains committed to the development of the region and India remains strong in the face of adversity.
IANS