Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate, and dedicate multiple development projects worth over Rs 460 billion in the holy town of Katra, the base camp of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji shrine, on Friday. This comes as he flags off the first-ever direct train to Kashmir, ending years of wait for seamless rail connectivity to the Valley.

Modi will launch two Vande Bharat Express trains running between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar on 6 June from Katra Railway Station. According to an official statement released ahead of the Prime Minister’s first visit to Jammu since Operation Sindoor and the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, these trains will provide a swift, comfortable, and reliable travel option for residents, tourists, and pilgrims alike.

Alongside this, Modi will virtually inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various road projects aimed at boosting last-mile connectivity, particularly in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Among these are the Rs 19.52 billion road widening project from Rafiabad to Kupwara on National Highway-701 and the construction of the Shopian bypass road on National Highway-444.

Two flyover projects at Sangrama Junction on National Highway-1 in Srinagar and Bemina Junction on National Highway-44 will also be inaugurated. These infrastructure improvements are expected to ease traffic congestion and improve the flow for daily commuters.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra, a project valued at over Rs 3.5 billion. This will be the first medical college in the Reasi district and will significantly enhance healthcare infrastructure in the region.

In line with his focus on rail infrastructure and connectivity, Modi will inaugurate the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing at 359 metres above the river—taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge is designed to withstand seismic and wind conditions, representing an engineering marvel. Modi will visit the bridge deck around 11 AM on 6 June.

Following this, he will inaugurate the Anji Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, also located in challenging terrain. Around noon, Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat trains from Katra Railway Station.

The Chenab Bridge will drastically improve connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar. With the new Vande Bharat trains running on this route, travel time between Katra and Srinagar will be cut to about three hours, reducing the existing journey by two to three hours.

Finally, Modi will dedicate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project to the nation. This 272-kilometre rail link, costing approximately Rs 437.8 billion, features 36 tunnels spanning 119 kilometres and 943 bridges. The USBRL project ensures all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India, poised to transform regional mobility and promote socio-economic integration.