Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the first-ever Vande Bharat Express to Kashmir on April 19, 2025, as a bid to enhance connectivity in the area for Indian Railways. The train will be operating from Katra, as the Jammu railway station is under renovation.
The new line will run over the 272-kilometer long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway connection that has finally been completed after waiting for decades since it started being conceived back in 1997. The railroad includes 38 tunnels and 927 bridges, with the Chenab Bridge, which was rated as the tallest railway arch bridge globally.
The launch of the Vande Bharat Express is also going to cut down travel time considerably between Srinagar and Jammu with the new high-speed connectivity of the modern kind being offered for the first time.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh further stated that Modi will also travel up to Udhampur to open the Chenab Bridge before flagging off the train.
Built to operate at sub-zero temperatures, the Vande Bharat Express has anti-freezing systems and sophisticated heating systems, ensuring year-round even service.
This innovation fulfills an age-old requirement for direct rail access to Kashmir, providing a huge boost to tourism and local growth.
