PM Modi to inaugurate Chenab bridge, world's highest railway bridge on June 6
Union Minister for Department of Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, announced on Tuesday that Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
will inaugurate the world's highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, on June 6. The bridge is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a post on X, Dr Singh shared the news, stating, "History in the making... Just 3 days to go! The mighty Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway bridge, stands tall in Jammu and Kashmir. Part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL). Built to withstand nature's toughest tests. PM
Modi
to inaugurate the #ChenabBridge on 6th June, 2025. A proud symbol of New India's strength and vision!"
The iconic
Chenab Railway Bridge
, the
world's highest railway arch bridge
, will be part of this Katra-to-Sangaldan stretch, connecting New Delhi directly with Kashmir via Katra. Situated in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chenab Bridge is an engineering marvel standing at a height of 359 meters above the riverbed. It will officially connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India via rail for the first time in history.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Adustina: Quanto vale a sua casa? Descubra agora!
Valor da casa | Anúncios de pesquisa
Saiba Mais
Undo
The project, part of the ambitious
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link
(USBRL), faced numerous engineering and logistical challenges due to the region's difficult terrain and seismic sensitivity. Yet, after years of meticulous work, the bridge now stands as a testament to India's technological prowess and commitment to inclusive development.
It marks a transformative chapter in India's infrastructural landscape, promising greater connectivity, economic growth, and social integration in the region. Earlier, a senior railway official highlighted the newly constructed Chenab Bridge's structural and engineering marvel, calling it a reflection of New India's resolve and capabilities.
Live Events
Speaking about the bridge, the official told ANI, "If I talk about its features: its height is 359 meters, which is even more than that of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Secondly, this bridge is the world's highest railway arch bridge. Thirdly, this bridge is capable of withstanding winds blowing at speeds greater than 250 kilometers per hour."Describing the scale of the steel construction, the official added, "This is a steel bridge -- I call it a 'fauladi bridge' because around 30,000 metric tons of steel have been used in its construction. You can get an idea of its vastness from the fact that its largest foundation, S20, is roughly one-third the size of a football field. This also reflects the spirit of New India -- what it envisions and resolves, it achieves."
He said, "The length of this Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) is around 272 kilometres. Out of this 272 kilometre, nearly 36 tunnels have been constructed with a length of nearly 119 kms. There are approximately 1,000 bridges in this project -- a very large number. Building even one bridge takes several years. Here, skilled railway engineers from India have constructed around 1,000 bridges."
The official also noted the challenges faced due to the region's seismic sensitivity. "This line passes through a fault zone -- an area where two different geological zones meet. This makes it seismically very sensitive. There are many tunnels, and their security is a major concern. So, security monitoring will be done for every inch of the tunnels, tracks, and bridges using live surveillance systems. At every station, you will find control rooms that will monitor all nearby tunnels and ensure complete safety and protection."
On the rail engine and infrastructure, he said, "As for the railway engine -- it's an electric engine that draws power from the Overhead Equipment (OHE). A new type of OHE has been installed here. Instead of regular wire systems, you'll see solid metal stanchions from which energy will be drawn. This engineering was extremely challenging."The official said that the railway overcame severe geographic and weather conditions.
"Talking about the difficulties, it was once considered an impossible task, but it has now been made possible. Nothing was in our favour -- whether it was the weather or the geology of the area. "Highlighting the social impact of the project, he concluded, "The railway built approximately 200 kilometers of roads so that construction material could be transported. Not only did this road help the railway work, but it also became a lifelong gift for remote villages, where earlier people had to walk 20-25 kilometres just to reach a road. Now, they have easy access."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
NATO ministers to discuss defence spending hike ahead of key summit
NATO defence ministers will gather in Brussels on Thursday to discuss how to meet Donald Trump's demand for significant increases in spending, less than three weeks ahead of a key summit of the alliance in The Hague. The U.S. president has said NATO allies should boost investment in defence to 5% of gross domestic product, up from the current target of 2%. Diplomats say the European allies understand that hiking defence expenditure is the price of ensuring a continued U.S. commitment to the continent's security and that keeping America on board means allowing Trump to be able to declare a win on his 5% demand during the summit, scheduled for June 24-25. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo "We have to go further and we have to go faster," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters on Wednesday. "A new defence investment plan will be at the heart of the NATO summit in The Hague," he added. Live Events In a bid to meet Trump's 5% goal, Rutte has proposed alliance members boost defence spending to 3.5% of GDP and commit a further 1.5% to broader security-related spending, Reuters has reported. But details of the new investment plan will likely continue to be negotiated until the very eve of the NATO summit. "We have to find a realistic compromise between what is necessary and what is possible really to spend," German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday. Countries remain divided over the timeline for a new pledge. "There's not unlimited time," U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told reporters on Wednesday. Rutte has proposed reaching the 5% by 2032 - a date that some eastern European states consider too distant but which some others see as too early and unrealistic given current spending and industrial production levels. A 2032 target is "definitely too late", Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Wednesday, arguing for a target of 2030 at the latest. There is also an ongoing debate over how to define "defence-related" spending, which might include spending on cybersecurity and certain types of infrastructure. "The aim is to find a definition that is precise enough to cover only real security-related investments, and at the same time broad enough to allow for national specifics," said one NATO diplomat.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
India fighting battle on behalf of world, especially US: Ex-envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu
Former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu , who is part of the all party delegation led by Shashi Tharoor to the US, has emphasized India's role in combating terrorism on a global scale amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. During an interaction in Washington, DC, the former Indian envoy underlined the global nature of the terrorism threat, saying, "Kindly look at all those terrorists and terrorist organisations, are they friends of the United States and what kind of poison they spread about the United States?... Do keep in mind that these are the same terrorists who have threatened the United States in the past, and you have just witnessed terrorism here, and can do it in the future too. So, India is fighting the battle on behalf of the world, especially the United States." Echoing this, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stressed that dialogue with Pakistan cannot happen "with a gun pointed at our head." Tharoor warned that India's recent decisive military actions could be repeated if Pakistan does not rein in terror groups operating from its soil, underscoring the urgent need for Pakistan to control terror elements to pave the way for any meaningful talks. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Teófilo Otoni: Quanto vale a sua casa? Descubra agora! Valor da casa | Anúncios de pesquisa Saiba Mais Undo During a session at the National Press Club , Tharoor said, "I think the US has understood for some time now that India has a very clear position that there will be no talks with a gun pointed at our head. It's not that we can't talk to Pakistan. I was joking the other day, we can speak all the languages they can speak and we're very happy to dialogue with them in any of those languages." He added, "The problem is we will not dialogue with people who are pointing a gun at our heads. I mean, frankly, if your neighbour unleashes his Rottweilers to bite your children and in fact to do worse to your children and then says let's talk. You think he's going to talk to them until he either unleashes those Rottweilers or locks them up in a kennel or puts them to sleep? It's as simple as that. You're not going to talk to people who are pointing guns at your temples. It's not going to happen." Live Events Tharoor further clarified that the delegation's goal in the US is to enhance understanding of India's stance and address any misconceptions. "We aren't really here to negotiate outcomes. That's the job of the government. Our job is to enhance understanding, to clarify our position and to explain if there are any questions or misapprehensions on the part of our interlocutors, we'd be very happy to address them," he said. The delegation, which includes members from various political parties and former Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, arrived in the US following their visit to Brazil. Their mission is to brief key stakeholders about Operation Sindoor , India's diplomatic and military initiative launched in response to terrorism and misinformation after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which killed 26 people and injured several others. The Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. In response to Pakistan's subsequent military aggression, India struck Pakistairbases, leading both countries to agree on a cessation of hostilities on May 10.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
'We don't want them': What prompted Donald Trump's travel ban on 12 nations; Is a rollback on the table?
Donald Trump Six months into his presidency, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a far-reaching travel ban, saying, "we don't want them." This travel ban, impacting a total of 19 countries, can majorly reshape immigration policy of the United States. It was put forth through a presidential proclamation, the proposed restrictions introduce a three-tiered system of escalating barriers targeting nationals from more than a dozen countries. The measure is among the most aggressive in modern US history regarding global mobility. It has the potential to impact millions of people seeking entry to the United States for purposes including work, study, tourism, and relocation. What is a travel ban? A travel ban is a government-imposed restriction that prohibits or limits entry to the United States for citizens of specific countries. These restrictions may include total visa suspensions or targeted limitations on certain visa categories. Trump's first executive order directed the State Department to identify nations where vetting procedures are inadequate, potentially justifying a full or partial suspension of entry for their nationals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo The current proclamation builds on that order and cites a recent attack by an Egyptian national in Colorado's Boulder as additional justification. What is a presidential proclamation? A presidential proclamation is a formal announcement by the President. While some proclamations are ceremonial, others --especially during national emergencies, can carry legal and policy weight. Unlike executive orders that direct federal agencies, proclamations often signal sweeping policy shifts. In this case, the White House said, 'The Proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries found to be deficient with regard to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States.' Bans go into effect from Monday As per the White House's statement travel ban announced by Trump administration will go into effect from Monday. "The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted," Trump said in a video message from the Oval Office posted on X. "We don't want them." Countries under full restriction (As per statements released by White House) Afghanistan - "The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan. Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures." Myanmar ( Burma ) - "According to the Overstay Report , Burma had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 27.07 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 42.17 percent. Additionally, Burma has historically not cooperated with the United States to accept back their removable nationals." Chad - "According to the Overstay Report, Chad had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 49.54 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.64 percent. According to the Fiscal Year 2022 Overstay Report, Chad had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 37.12 percent. The high visa overstay rate for 2022 and 2023 is unacceptable and indicates a blatant disregard for United States immigration laws." Republic of the Congo - "According to the Overstay Report, the Republic of the Congo had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 29.63 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.14 percent." Equatorial Guinea - Recorded a 21.98% overstay rate for B1/B2 visas and 70.18% for student/exchange visas. Eritrea - "The United States questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents in Eritrea. Criminal records are not available to the United States for Eritrean nationals." Haiti - "Hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration. This influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats." Iran - "Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism . Iran regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government in identifying security risks, is the source of significant terrorism around the world, and has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals." Libya - "There is no competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents in Libya. The historical terrorist presence within Libya's territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry into the United States of its nationals." Somalia - " Somalia lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures." Sudan - "Sudan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures." Yemen - "Yemen lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures." Countries under partial restriction The proclamation also imposes partial restrictions on citizens from seven additional countries identified as posing elevated risks: Burundi Cuba Laos Sierra Leone Togo Turkmenistan Venezuela Why were these countries chosen? The proclamation outlines various justifications for including these countries: Lack of document integrity & vetting systems: Nations like Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, and Venezuela are cited for lacking competent or cooperative authorities to issue credible documents or vet travellers. High visa overstay rates: Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan were flagged for significantly high rates of visa overstays in the US. Terrorist threats and state-sponsored terrorism: Countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Cuba, and others were included due to their ties to terrorism or designation as state sponsors of terrorism. Exemptions for Olympics, World Cups The travel ban will not apply to athletes participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, or the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, according to Trump's order.
