Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express train service between Katra and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Modi inaugurated the train in the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world's tallest bridge, along with India’s first-ever cable-stayed bridge in Katra.
The Srinagar-Katra journey, which was usually covered in 6 hours via road, will now be covered within three hours, reducing the time by nearly 50 per cent. The semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains will run six days a week with two pairs—26404/26403 and 26401/26402—stopping at Banihal. Fares start at Rs 660 for AC Chair Car, with Executive Chair Car fares expected soon.
Though the full USBRL project is complete, the Vande Bharat service will, for now, operate only between Katra and Srinagar due to ongoing infrastructure upgrades at the Jammu railway station.
Once the Jammu yard expansion is complete, seamless travel between Srinagar and Jammu will be possible, and eventually to the national capital and beyond. The Vande Bharat train will pass over two engineering marvels—the Chenab Railway Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge at 359 metres, and Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
The route spans 272 km and includes 36 tunnels (totalling 119 km) and 943 bridges, threading through valleys, ridges, and the rugged Himalayan terrain.
Originally proposed in 1983 during the tenure of Indira Gandhi, the USBRL project saw slow progress for decades until it was declared a national project in 2002.
Railway officials say the project was among the most technically demanding in India’s rail history and marks a new era for Jammu and Kashmir, unlocking economic potential and regional integration.
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