Srinagar- The Northern Railways has accelerated operational and redevelopment works in the Jammu division to pave the way for a direct train service between Jammu and Srinagar, a move that will mark a major milestone in Jammu and Kashmir's railway connectivity.

A senior railway official said that trains, which currently operate from Katra in Reasi district to Srinagar, are expected to start from Jammu railway station soon.“Work is underway to make the direct service possible. Flash floods earlier slowed down progress and shifted our targets, but the project is now being pushed aggressively,” the official said.

According to officials, the major challenges lie on the Jammu–Katra stretch, where construction of bridges, laying of tracks, and station redevelopment are in progress.

“At Jammu station, there are two categories of work - civil structure and track-related. The track work is almost complete, while civil structures, including new platforms and station facilities, are nearing completion. The progress is being monitored to establish Jammu–Srinagar connectivity at the earliest,” the official added.

Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Jammu Division, said:“At present, the train is operational up to Katra. Once the bottlenecks are cleared and readiness is in place, the direct service to Jammu will begin.”

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