India&rsquos Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge on Friday, the world&rsquos highest railway bridge, towering 359 meters above the Chenab River&mdashsurpassing the Eiffel Tower by 29 meters. The $160 million structure connects Kashmir to mainland India as part of the long-awaited Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. This visit marks Modi&rsquos first to India-administered Kashmir since April&rsquos deadly conflict with Pakistan, sparked by a tourist massacre that led to four days of military exchanges between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

A Symbol of Integration and Political Ambition

Modi's administration views large-scale infrastructure projects like the Chenab Bridge as vital tools for national integration and political consolidation. Since revoking Kashmir&rsquos constitutional autonomy in 2019, the government has accelerated efforts to bind the Muslim-majority region closer to India. Investments in roads, railways, and tunnels aim to boost connectivity and economic development while reinforcing New Delhi&rsquos control. The newly unveiled Vande Bharat train service, inaugurated alongside the bridge, symbolizes this broader push.A decorated Vande Bharat passenger train is seen at the Srinagar railway station in Srinagar, India-administered Kashmir, on Friday, ahead of the inauguration of the Kashmir rail link by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images

Controversy Surrounds Modi&rsquos Development Push

While hailed as engineering marvels, Modi&rsquos infrastructure efforts have drawn criticism for environmental risks and construction safety issues. The Himalayan region, already vulnerable to climate change, faces ecological strain from heavy construction. Recent disasters&mdashlike tunnel collapses in Uttarakhand and bridge failures in Mizoram and Bihar&mdashraise concerns over project execution. Yet, Modi's government remains committed to transforming India&rsquos transportation landscape as part of its vision for national progress by 2047.