First Vande Bharat Train Between Katra And Srinagar To Be Launched By PM Modi On 19 April

The first-ever Vande Bharat to Kashmir will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 April, reported Business Standard.

The inauguration from Katra will be the culmination of a several decades journey to provide rail connectivity between the Valley and the rest of the country.

Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, J&K CM Omar Abdullah, and other dignitaries will be present at the ceremony.

Currently, train services in Kashmir run only between Baramulla and Sangaldan, with long-distance trains ending at Katra.

The new Vande Bharat will fill this gap, running from Katra to Srinagar/Baramulla, enabling commuters to travel directly to Kashmir by train for the first time.

The service will be extended to Jammu once station work is done.

The train is one of the components of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, a large infrastructure project to improve connectivity in the region. The rail link is 272 km long.

A standout feature of this route is the Chenab Bridge, the highest railway bridge in the world, a symbol of India's engineering might.

Prior to the official inauguration, Prime Minister Modi will visit the iconic Chenab Bridge located in Reasi district.

After inspecting the bridge, the Prime Minister will go to Katra to dedicate the train service and speak at a public meeting.

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