Jun 06, Kathmandu - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kashmir on Friday, his first visit to the disputed Himalayan region since last month's conflict with arch-rival Pakistan. He inaugurated a strategic railway in Kashmir.

Modi has been launching billions of dollars in projects for Kashmir, a divided Muslim-majority region that has been the center of bitter animosity between India and Pakistan since independence from British rule in 1947.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan fought a fierce four-day war last month, the worst standoff since 1999 before a ceasefire was agreed on May 10.

The Prime Minister’s Office released a picture of Modi at the observation deck of the 1,315-meter-long (4,314-foot-long) steel and concrete Chenab Bridge. The bridge connects two mountains with an arch 359 meters above the river below.

“Besides being an extraordinary feat of architecture, the Chenab Rail Bridge will improve connectivity,” Modi said in a social media post ahead of his visit.

Soon after his arrival, Modi crossed the bridge, hoisting a huge Indian flag to announce that the train was officially open for traffic.

New Delhi calls the Chenab Bridge the “world’s tallest railway arch bridge.” While many road and pipeline bridges are taller, Guinness World Records has confirmed that the Chenab will surpass China’s previous tallest railway bridge, the Najihe.

The new 272-kilometre (169-mile) Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway, with 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, is being built “with the aim of transforming regional mobility and promoting socio-economic integration,” Modi’s office said.

The bridge will facilitate the movement of people and goods, as well as troops. This was earlier possible only through inaccessible mountain roads and air routes.

“The railway will ensure all-weather connectivity, promote spiritual tourism and create livelihood opportunities,” Modi said.

The railway line is expected to cut travel time between the Hindu-majority city of Katra in Jammu region and the main city of Muslim-majority Kashmir, Srinagar, by half to about three hours.

More than 70 people were killed in last month’s conflict in which missiles, drones and artillery fire were used.

The fighting began on April 22 with an attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi has accused Pakistan of supporting the attack. Islamabad has denied the accusations.

Rebel groups in Indian-administered Kashmir have waged a 35-year insurgency, demanding independence for the region or its merger with Pakistan.