PM Modi to inaugurate Kashmir’s first all-weather rail link with Delhi via Katra

A security jawan stands guard near the Kashmir-bound Vande Bharat train at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Station in Katra, Reasi district, Thursday, June 5, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI

Kashmir is set to finally have a rail link with the rest of the country, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Srinagar–Jammu–Delhi rail link on June 6 at the Katra end in Jammu’s Udhampur district. The Vande Bharat Express between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar will begin regular operations from June 7, officials said.

Prime Minister Modi, in a post on social media platform X, said, “Tomorrow, 6th June is indeed a special day for my sisters and brothers of Jammu and Kashmir. Key infrastructure projects worth ₹46,000 crores are being inaugurated which will have a very positive impact on people’s lives.”

Considered an engineering marvel, the Chenab Rail Bridge will improve connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar, he said. “The Anji Bridge stands tall as India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge in a terrain that is challenging,” he added.

The Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which will now be fully operational, ensures all-weather connectivity. “The Vande Bharat trains from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar will boost spiritual tourism and create livelihood opportunities,” the Prime Minister said.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also shared his anticipation on X. “Visited the tallest railway bridge in the world, the Chenab Bridge, to review arrangements for the visit of the Hon PM Modi ji tomorrow. Tomorrow is a landmark day for J&K when, finally, the valley will be connected to the rest of the country by a railway link to be inaugurated at the hands of the Hon PM,” he said.

“I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. This rail project began when I was in the 7th or 8th class. Now, even my children have started working after completing school and college. But better late than never,” Mr. Abdullah said, expressing hope for the positive impact of the project on the region’s economy. “Whenever the highway gets blocked, the airlines start selling tickets of ₹5,000 for ₹20,000. Such issues will be solved from now on. Our horticulture produce like cherry and apple will be ferried.”

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that a direct rail service between Srinagar and Delhi will commence in September once platforms 5 and 6 are ready at Jammu Railway Station. In the meanwhile, following the inauguration by PM Modi from June 7 onwards, two pairs of Vande Bharat Express will begin regular operations between Katra Srinagar route.

Following the inauguration, two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains — 26404/26403 and 26401/26402 — will run on the Srinagar–Katra–Srinagar route with intermediate stops at Banihal. The 26404 train will depart Srinagar at 8 a.m., halt at Banihal at 9:02 a.m., and reach Katra at 10:58 a.m. The return service (26403) will leave Katra at 2:55 p.m., reach Banihal at 4:40 p.m., and arrive in Srinagar at 5:53 p.m. These trains will run six days a week, excluding Wednesday.

The other service, 26401, will depart from Katra at 8:10 a.m., reach Banihal at 9:58 a.m., and arrive in Srinagar at 11:08 a.m., while 26402 will leave Srinagar at 2 p.m., reach Banihal at 3:10 p.m., and arrive at Katra at 4:58 p.m. This pair will also operate six days a week, excluding Tuesday.

After inaugurating the train service, Mr. Modi is expected to visit the deck of the Chenab Bridge around 11 a.m., followed by a visit to the Anji Khad Bridge.

Engineering marvels

The Chenab Rail Bridge, which stands 359 metres above the riverbed — 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower — is being hailed as the world’s highest railway arch bridge. The 1,315-metre-long structure, designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 260 km/h, is built at a cost of ₹1,486 crore and has a projected life of 120 years.

The Anji Khad Bridge, meanwhile, is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge. Towering 331 metres above the riverbed and stretching 725 metres, it features 96 high-tensile cables and a 193-metre inverted Y-shaped pylon. It is constructed using over 8,200 metric tonnes of structural steel, with a total cable strand length of 653 km.

The 272-km USBRL project, constructed at a cost of ₹43,780 crore, comprises 36 tunnels spanning 119 km and 943 bridges that traverse rugged Himalayan terrain.

Central Reserve Police Force personnel have been deployed for security across the USBRL, especially on the Katra–Baramulla stretch and around the Chenab Bridge. The Army, Railway Protection Force, and Government Railway Police are also involved in the security arrangements.

This visit marks PM Modi’s first to J&K since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and follows a recent four-day military standoff with Pakistan.

Published - June 05, 2025 09:10 pm IST