India is nearing the completion of a new railway line that will connect Indian-controlled Kashmir to the rest of the country; officials say the line is important for security and could change the region by permitting faster movement of people, goods and security workers. The construction of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project has been beset with challenges, including the difficult mountainous terrain, dearth of skilled labourers and bad weather, yet the project includes 38 tunnels, 931 bridges and the world’s highest rail bridge. However, there are concerns that the rail line could endanger the area in its role as India’s only Muslim-majority region and would lead to an increase in military presence, though it is hoped that the ability to transport goods will lift the local economy.