World's highest rail bridge in J-K's Reasi being developed as tourist spot
Jammu (PTI): The world's highest steel arch rail bridge over the Chenab River in Reasi district here is being developed as a tourist spot with authorities calling for necessary measures for increasing the visitors' footfall, officials said on Sunday.
The 1.3-km rail bridge located 359 metres above the riverbed -- 35 metres higher than the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris -- forms a crucial link in the 111-km stretch from Katra to Banihal, which is part of the ongoing prestigious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project.
Chief Secretary A K Mehta along with Deputy Commissioner, Reasi Babila Rakwal and other officers visited the bridge site near Jyotipuram, 42 km from Reasi town, on Saturday, the officials said.
Mehta had a detailed inspection of the bridge in the presence of the engineers of the executing agency and officers of Indian Railways who apprised him about the unique features of this engineering marvel having no parallel in the world, they said.
Appreciating the engineering staff for moving towards completing the challenging task, the chief secretary impressed upon the district administration to take immediate measures to turn this "architectural marvel" into a tourist spot.
"The location of the bridge is also impressive in terms of its aesthetic appeal as it lies in the lap of nature", Mehta said, adding that with little intervention the spot could turn into a great attraction for tourists.
He enjoined the divisional and district administration to take measures for better upkeep of the road from Reasi to the bridge site besides advising them to install crash barriers wherever required.
Mehta said the Reasi district, which also houses Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills, has the highest tourist footfall in Jammu and Kashmir which nearly crosses a crore mark each year.
"The district has a very good potential to attract many more people to its historic and natural places. It has many well-known sites such as Shiv Khori, Salal Dam and Bhimgarh Fort which offers it a huge opportunity to tap its potential by further developing these to bring them on the national tourism map," the chief secretary said.
He also gave more suggestions to make the district a tourism hub which would create employment opportunities not only for locals but also for residents of other areas of the Union Territory.
He called for having a well-developed plan to develop the tourist circuit inside this district by developing all the relevant amenities and enhancing the connectivity between these places for hassle-free movement of the tourists, the officials said.
The 119 km long railway project comprises 38 tunnels and 931 bridges having a combined length of 13 km to make the railway link possible in this rough terrain nestled in the mighty Himalayas.
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Trump signs order designating English as the official language of the US
Washington, Mar 2 (AP): President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.
The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English.
It rescinds a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
“Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society,” according to the order signed by Trump on Saturday.
“In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream,” the order also states. “Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society.”
More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to US English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States.
For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the US, but those efforts have not succeeded.
Within hours of Trump's inauguration last month, the new administration took down the Spanish language version of the official White House website.
Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online. As of Saturday, it was still not restored.
The White House did not immediately respond to a message about whether that would happen.
Trump shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term. It was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.
