Train to Kashmir finally realized

(MENAFN) On June 25, 60-year-old Muhammad Fakhrudin Bhat took a long-awaited train journey from the Kashmir Valley to New Delhi – a dream he had nurtured for nearly 40 years. Boarding the newly launched Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, introduced earlier in the month by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhat was captivated by the stunning scenery: lush valleys, summer-lit mountains, pine forests, and blooming orchards flashing past the train’s sleek windows.

“For the first time, I saw these mountains and forests while sitting inside a train – it was like watching a dream unfold,” Bhat said of his trip from Srinagar to Katra, a town known for being the starting point of pilgrimages to the revered Vaishno Devi Temple. What once took over seven hours by road now only takes three by train.

Travelers continuing on to New Delhi from Katra pass through security before boarding a connecting train. The full journey from Delhi to Srinagar, previously a two-day mix of road and rail travel, is now completed in just 13 hours – a change celebrated by both locals and tourists.

For decades, Kashmiris heard promises of a rail link connecting them to the rest of India, but delays stretched on for years. Last month, Bhat finally experienced it himself when he traveled to visit his daughter in Delhi. “It was exhilarating,” he said. “I booked my ticket 20 days early just to be sure.” Every moment of the journey felt significant. “This wasn’t just travel – it was a symbol of hope arriving by train after four decades.”

Residents like Masooma Jan believe the new rail link will bring transformative economic changes. “Tourism, trade, and local industries like handicrafts and fruit exports will benefit immensely,” she said. “With faster access to major markets and reliable year-round transportation, even winter won’t isolate us anymore.”

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