After years of intricate engineering and billions of dollars invested, India has finally connected the Himalayan region of Kashmir to the rest of the country by rail.
The train link, officially opened on Friday, fulfilled a long-standing dream dating back to the British colonial era. Indian officials hailed it as a transformative achievement, overcoming challenging terrain and political obstacles to build the railway. However, many Kashmiris view the project as a means for the central government to further control the region.
The formal inauguration of the rail connection was repeatedly delayed, most recently due to a terrorist attack in April on the Indian-administered side of Kashmir, leading to violent clashes between India and Pakistan.
“This demonstrates our unwavering determination for India’s development,” stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the opening ceremony.
The new 170-mile rail line, known as the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, was constructed at a cost of approximately $4.4 billion, traversing some of the world’s most stunning landscapes. It includes one of the tallest railway bridges in the world and a nearly seven-mile-long tunnel through a mountain range.
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