'Welcome step, should appreciate': PDP leader Iltija Mufti's rare praise for PM Modi ahead of J&K visit

PDP leader Iltija Mufti

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir on June 6, PDP leader Iltija Mufti on Wednesday said it is a ‘welcome step’.

"It's a step that we should appreciate but I would like to say...In Anantnag, near Pahalgam, they wanted to establish a rail track through orchards. So, we should be more mindful. Kashmir is ecologically very fragile but it is a welcome step,” Mufti told ANI.

#WATCH | Anantnag, J&K | On PM Modi to inaugurate the Chenab Bridge on 6th June, PDP leader Iltija Mufti says, "It's a step that we should appreciate but I would like to say...In Anantnag, near Pahalgam, they wanted to establish a rail track through orchards. So, we should be pic.twitter.com/m8XdCYExfG
ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2025

She said that the railway line that will be inaugurated will be “very inconvenient for the passengers because perhaps they are deboarded at Katra for a security check and there is a long delay of 2-3 hours there. So, these are things that should be looked into”.

A PMO statement said PM Modi will also launch multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore at Katra, the home to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple.

This will be the PM's  first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after ‘Operation Sindoor’ – India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan launched on 7 May in response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

The Chenab Bridge is set to become the world’s highest railway bridge, stretching 13,115 metres and standing 359 metres tall. It is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project is built to improve regional connectivity. It can withstand winds up to 260 kmph and is designed for a lifespan of 120 years.

According to News18, the Chenab Bridge has passed mandatory tests including high-velocity winds, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and hydrological impacts. It is situated in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.