Vande Bharat Jammu–Srinagar March 1 launch postponed, new date to be announced soon

SRINAGAR: The proposed launch of the Vande Bharat Express service between Jammu and Srinagar has been postponed, with railway authorities stating that a revised date will be announced soon.

The 20-coach premium train was scheduled to begin operations between the twin capital cities from March 1.The service, which has been operating successfully between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar for over eight months, was set to be extended up to Jammu Tawi. At present, the train runs with an eight-car rake between Srinagar and Katra, ferrying nearly 1,400 passengers daily.The Vande Bharat service was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6 following the inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, which established all-weather rail connectivity to the Valley.Since its launch, the train has recorded strong patronage, with nearly 3.75 lakh passengers travelling in its first six months. The Jammu railway division has also expanded freight and logistics operations significantly in the past year.