REASI: Along with the Deputy Commissioner and other officers, Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today visited the site of the world’s tallest steel arch rail bridge in the district of Reasi, which is almost finished. In the presence of the engineers from the executing agency and executives from Indian Railways, Dr. Mehta conducted a thorough examination of this construction on this particular day. They informed him of the special characteristics of this engineering masterpiece, which is unparalleled in the entire globe and is around 29 metres taller than Paris’ Eiffel Tower. The engineering team’s progress towards completing this difficult task was recognised by the chief secretary. He noted that this accomplishment alone speaks volumes about the capabilities of our nation’s engineers and raises everyone’s spirits. He claimed that this steel memorial is a source of pride for the locals. Dr. Mehta used this opportunity to persuade the district administration to start planning as soon as possible to transform this architectural wonder into a tourist attraction. He noted that the bridge’s position, being in the middle of nature, is equally striking in terms of its visual appeal. He implied that the location may become a top tourist destination with only minor adjustments. He urged the District and Divisional administrations to take action to improve the maintenance of the route from Reasi to the Bridge site. Where necessary, he recommended them to put up crash barriers. Additionally, he gave an immediate order to improve the route between Katra and Reasi. According to Dr. Mehta, the District of Reasi in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir receives approximately one crore tourists annually. He implied that the District has a great chance to draw a lot more visitors to its historic and natural sites.He claimed that the region has a wealth of well-known tourist attractions, including the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Shiv Khori, Salal Dam, and Bhimgarh Fort, which presents a significant chance to maximise its potential by enhancing these attractions and putting them on the national tourism radar. He also made a number of other recommendations for turning this district into a tourism hotspot, which would open up jobs for both locals and other UT citizens. He urged creating a well-thought-out plan to create tourist circuits inside this district, providing all necessary amenities and improving connectivity between these locations for the convenience of tourists moving between them. It is crucial to note that the bridge crossing the Chenab River is 359 metres (1,177 feet) high above the riverbed and 1,315 metres (4,314 feet) long. It will give the locals access to all-weather connection and connect the Kashmir valley to India’s extensive railway network. In order to make the railway link possible in this difficult terrain tucked away in the powerful Himalayas, the 119km (73 miles) long railway project consists of 38 tunnels and 931 bridges with a combined length of 13km (8 miles).
