Katra-Srinagar rail link inauguration by PM Modi postponed

Trial runs of Vande Bharat train conducted on Katra-Sangaldan link of Jammu - Kashmir

16/04/2025

JAMMU, Apr 15: The inauguration programme of the much-awaited Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Project (USBRL) by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been postponed due to bad weather.
Official sources here said that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate the World's tallest Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Khad Rail Bridge on April 19, and flag off the special Kashmir edition of Vande Bharat Express from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station to Srinagar.
He was also scheduled to address a public programme at Katra.
"The Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Khad Bridge, for which two helipads were readied, but due to the bad weather forecast from April 19 to 22, the visit has been postponed," they said.
They said that the fresh dates for the inauguration shall be announced later, which is likely to be April end.
The Katra to Srinagar Vande Bharat Express will have features like heating systems, anti-spall layers, and automatic doors.
The train is designed to operate smoothly in cold weather, down to minus 20 degrees celsius.
The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat will run on the world's highest railway arch bridge and Anji Bridge constructed on the river Chenab in Reasi district.
The Meteorological Department has issued yellow and orange alerts predicting light to moderate rains and snow in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Trial runs of the Vande Bharat train on the Katra- Sangaldan link were conducted today.
The stretch includes the iconic Chenab Railway Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, enabling direct rail connectivity between New Delhi and Kashmir via Katra.
A resident of Bakkal village near the bridge said, "This bridge is in our vicinity. On April 19, PM Modi will inaugurate this bridge. We are so happy; everyone in the village is so happy. The construction of this bridge generated a lot of employment opportunities, and even after the inauguration, we will get employment opportunities."
On April 10, Dilip Kumar, the Railway Board's Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP), highlighted the significance of the 272-kilometre USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) project, which includes a 119-kilometre tunnel.
"It has been the dream of every Indian to have a train running to Kashmir. For this, we have made long preparations, and now this USBRL section is ready. There is a 119-kilometre tunnel in this 272-kilometre section. This entire area is very important from the religious, tourism and connectivity point of view of Kashmir," Kumar said.
He further pointed out that on the day of its inauguration, two Vande Bharat Express trains will begin service, one running from Srinagar and the other from Katra to Srinagar.
"On the date of commencement of the project, we have planned to run two Vande Bharat Express trains. One Vande Bharat Express train will run from Srinagar, and the other will run from Katra to Srinagar," the Railway Board Executive Director said.

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