During an official event on Friday, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah publicly raised the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Abdullah made the statement while sharing the stage with the Prime Minister and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the inauguration of key infrastructure projects, including the Chenab Bridge and the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express.
Reflecting on his long-standing association with railway projects in the region, Abdullah said, “I’ve had the honour of being part of major railway inaugurations in Jammu and Kashmir alongside the Prime Minister — first at Anantnag Railway Station and then at the Banihal Tunnel.”
In a pointed yet humorous remark, Abdullah highlighted the shift in political status following the abrogation of Article 370. “The same four people were present during the inauguration of Katra Railway Station in 2014. Back then, Manoj Sinha was a junior minister in the Railways. Today, he’s the Lieutenant Governor — a promotion. Meanwhile, I went from being the Chief Minister of a state to the head of a Union Territory — a demotion,” he said, while expressing optimism about the future. “But things will return to normal, and Prime Minister Modi will restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.”
#WATCH | Katra, J&K | CM Omar Abdullah says, "… I have been fortunate to be associated with the Prime Minister in all railway projects in J&K. First, when Anantnag Railway Station was inaugurated. Second, when the Banihal Railway Tunnel was inaugurated… The same four people… pic.twitter.com/35WzxGSSMT
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the iconic Chenab Railway Bridge on Friday, hailing it as a landmark in India’s infrastructure development. The bridge, the tallest of its kind in the world, signifies a critical step in connecting Kashmir to the broader Indian railway network.
Upon arriving at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the Prime Minister flew to the bridge site to formally inaugurate the engineering marvel. This marked his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir following Operation Sindoor, the retaliatory military operation launched after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
During the ceremony, PM Modi engaged with engineers, workers, and officials involved in the bridge’s construction, commending their role in completing a project of national significance.
