Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday flagged off the Vande Bharat train from Katra, the base town of the Vaishnodevi shrine, in Jammu and Kashmir. Vande Bharat Express trains connecting Katra and Srinagar will reduce travel time significantly, making the journey between the two locations in just three hours.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were present at the occasion.
This project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration.
The trains are equipped with climate-specific adaptations and provide heating at sub-zero temperatures, along with defrosting elements embedded on the driver’s lookout glass.
They will offer a swift, comfortable, and reliable travel option for residents, tourists, pilgrims among others. Additionally, there will be the incorporation of heated windscreens and thermally insulated lavatories. A key impact of this train would be that, moving along the Chenab bridge, it will take just about three hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing the existing travel time by two-three hours.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi dedicated the Chenab bridge, the world’s highest rail arch bridge, and the Anji Bridge to the nation. The century-old dream to provide a rail link to Kashmir with the rest of the country has become a reality now. Prime Minister Modi waved the Tiranga as he inaugurated the Chenab bridge.
The launch of the train service was earlier scheduled for 19 April but was postponed given bad weather conditions predicted for that day. Further delay was caused because of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, followed by Operation Sindoor in which the Indian Armed Forces carried out strikes on terror infrastructures and military installations deep inside Pakistan and PoJK from 7 to 10 May.
#WATCH | PM Modi speaks with J&K CM Omar Abdullah, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw & Union Minister Jitendra Singh as he watches an exhibition on USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) project; also interacts with people who worked on the project. #KashmirOnTrack… pic.x.com/ieJRDpzT9R
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025