Chennai, Sep 17: A 13-member media delegation from Srinagar, currently on a five-day media exposure tour to Chennai organized by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar, completed its fourth day of engagements today with high-level visits to key national institutions and infrastructure projects. The tour aims to provide visiting journalists from Jammu & Kashmir firsthand insight into the nation’s technological advancement, industrial self-reliance, and the ongoing march toward Viksit Bharat 2047.
Witnessing Indigenous Rail Innovation at ICF. The delegation began the day with a comprehensive visit to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, one of the premier coach manufacturing units of Indian Railways. The journalists were given a detailed walkthrough of the assembly lines dedicated to Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches.
During an extensive interaction with senior ICF engineers and technical officials, detailed presentations were delivered showcasing the modern fabrication techniques and safety standards of LHB coaches. Anupam Chauhan Chief Workshop Engineer, LHB Division briefed the delegation about the indigenous engineering and manufacturing evolution of the flagship Vande Bharat train sets, concepts and trials surrounding the experimental Vande Bharat freight trains aimed at high-speed cargo transit.
Special engineering adaptations integrated into the Vande Bharat rakes specifically designed for Jammu & Kashmir's unique high-altitude and sub-zero operational conditions, including heating lines, anti-freeze water systems, and reinforced cab climate controls.
The delegation also visited Chennai Port Trust where senior port authorities briefed the journalists on the strategic maritime hub's daily logistics, multi-cargo handling capabilities, automated container operations, and upcoming modern expansion projects and digitization plans aimed at bolstering regional and international trade. The delegation was given a tour to the berths, container yard, signalling station and Premium Cruise Passenger Terminal.
Later in the evening the visiting journalists attended a special event organized at Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai, commemorating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s 25 years of dedicated public service to the nation. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Welcoming the Srinagar delegation to Tamil Nadu, Dr. Murugan emphasized the crucial role of media in bridging regional narratives with the national development story. He urged the journalists to carry forward the story of transformative infrastructure, economic empowerment, and all-round developmental work taking place across the country under the leadership of the Prime Minister to the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He called the press teams visit the best example of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) as Jammu & Kashmir and Tamil Nadu are paired states under the EBSB initiative.
The exposure visit concludes tomorrow with further interactive sessions before the delegation departs for Srinagar.
