On Republic Day eve, Vande Bharat Express touches base in Kashmir for first time
The Hindu
Vande Bharat Express makes historic journey to Kashmir valley, connecting high-altitude regions with advanced technology and stunning landscapes.
On the eve of Republic Day, the Vande Bharat Express touched ground in the Kashmir valley for the first time after successful trial runs held over the past two months on the tracks constructed in the high-altitude and tough mountainous regions of the Pir Panjal, connecting the Valley with the Jammu region.
The saffron-and-white coaches chugged down the tracks of Anantnag in south Kashmir around 10 a.m. after leaving the Katra station in Jammu at 8 a.m. The train touched base at the Srinagar railway station around 11 a.m. The distance between Katra and Srinagar is 190 km.
“A historic moment and a dream come true! Trial run of Vande Bharat Express train from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Railway Station, Katra, to Budgam has been successfully completed. Congratulations to Indian Railways officials and the team working on the ground,” J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said.
In its first dry run, the Vande Bharat Express ran over tracks considered engineering marvels, including the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, and the Chenab Bridge, the world’s tallest railway bridge.
BJP leader and Union Minister Jitendra Singh shared the first images of the Vande Bharat train crossing through the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, in Reasi, on social media platforms. “The bridge falls on Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link,” Mr. Singh said, in a post on X.
The mighty Himalayas were drilled to construct 27 tunnels, including 1,500 meters of railway line laid inside the 3,200-metre tunnel near Katra. There are 37 bridges in the 111-km section between Banihal and Katra.
The Kashmir valley has only two road links — Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Rajouri-Jammu — that connect it with the outside world. Now, the ambitious train link will help people travel the 800-km distance between Delhi and Srinagar in just 13 hours. The service promises uninterrupted connectivity across challenging terrains, also offering views of breathtaking landscapes.
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