Chennai: A 13-member media delegation from Srinagar, currently on a five-day media exposure tour to Chennai organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar, met Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan and visited key infrastructure facilities on the fourth day of the programme.
The tour is aimed at providing journalists from Jammu and Kashmir firsthand exposure to major national infrastructure, industrial and technological projects.
The delegation began the day with a visit to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, one of Indian Railways’ premier coach manufacturing units. Journalists were briefed on the production of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches and the evolution of indigenous rail manufacturing.
Chief Workshop Engineer, LHB Division, Anupam Chauhan, informed the delegation about the development of Vande Bharat train sets, experimental high-speed freight variants and special engineering modifications incorporated for operations in Jammu and Kashmir’s high-altitude and sub-zero conditions, including heating systems, anti-freeze mechanisms and enhanced climate controls.
The delegation later visited Chennai Port, where officials outlined the port’s cargo handling operations, container management systems, digitisation initiatives and expansion plans aimed at strengthening domestic and international trade. The journalists were taken to berths, the container yard, signalling station and the premium cruise passenger terminal.
In the evening, the delegation attended a programme at Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai, marking 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public service. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan attended the event as chief guest.
Interacting with the visiting journalists, Dr Murugan highlighted the role of the media in connecting regional narratives with the broader national development story. He said the delegation’s visit reflected the spirit of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, under which Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu are paired states.
The exposure tour is scheduled to conclude on Friday following additional interactions and engagements before the delegation returns to Srinagar.