Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

PM Flags Off Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express


(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Picture Source: DD News

Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off a Vande Bharat train service between Katra and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, the first train connection between the Kashmir valley and the Jammu region.

Modi inaugurated the train in the presence of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, among others.

Earlier, the PM inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, the world's tallest rail bridge, and Anji Khad Bridge, the country's first cable-stayed railway bridge The Srinagar-Katra journey, which currently takes nearly six hours by road, will now be completed in just three hours by train.

The semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains will run six days a week with two pairs-26404/26403 and 26401/26402-stopping at Banihal. Fares start at Rs 660 for AC Chair Car, with Executive Chair Car fares expected soon.

Though the full USBRL project is complete, the Vande Bharat service will for now operate only between Katra and Srinagar due to ongoing infrastructure upgrades at Jammu railway station.

Read Also While LG Was Promoted, I Was Demoted: Omar During Kashmir Rail Link Inauguration PM Inaugurates India's Tallest Rail Arch & First Cable-Stayed Rail Bridge

Once the Jammu yard expansion is finished, seamless travel between Srinagar and Jammu will be possible, and eventually to Delhi and beyond.

The Vande Bharat train will pass over two engineering marvels-the Chenab Railway Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge at 359 metres, and Anji Khad Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge.

The route spans 272 km and includes 36 tunnels (totaling 119 km) and 943 bridges, threading through valleys, ridges, and the rugged Himalayan terrain proposed in 1983 during the tenure of Indira Gandhi, the USBRL project saw slow progress for decades until it was declared a national project in 2002.

It gained momentum after 2014, with key sections inaugurated in phases. The final and most challenging stretch-from Banihal to Sangaldan-was completed earlier this year features of the Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat include heated windshields, insulated toilets, seismic dampers, and snow-clearing systems-ensuring uninterrupted service even in harsh winters.

A long-haul Vande Bharat with sleeper coaches for this route is currently in the prototype stage.

Railway officials say the project was among the most technically demanding in India's rail history and marks a new era for Jammu and Kashmir, unlocking economic potential and regional integration.

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