Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express
Jammu: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday announced the launch of the 20-coach Vande Bharat Express between Jammu and Srinagar, marking the first direct railway between the two cities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a wider Katra-Kashmir route last year. Regular operations will begin on May 2, with two pairs of trains running six days a week.The train will stop at Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Banihal and Srinagar and the journey will take about 5 hours and cover 267 kilometers, which is much faster than the usual 8 to 9 hours of road travel. The capacity has been expanded from 8 carriages to 20 carriages, and each train can carry approximately 1,400 passengers, improving accessibility and convenience.J&K CM Omar Abdullah described the project as “transformative” and noted its impact on connectivity, industry and long-term public aspirations. He stressed that the railway line will enhance passenger and freight transportation, including cement, food supplies, vehicles and local agricultural products.Vaishnaw emphasized that due to the advanced design and passenger-friendly features, the trains are capable of operating in extreme conditions, including temperatures as low as -10°C and heavy snowfall. He also outlined future plans to expand rail connectivity to the Poonch-Rajouri region and extend the line to Uri state, which is currently in the planning stage.Other infrastructure upgrades are underway, including line doubling and capacity enhancements. Reconstruction work of Jammu Tawi station is in progress, doubling work of Jalandhar-Jammu section has been completed and work of Qazigund-Baramulla section is continuing.The initiatives aim to reduce reliance on weather-sensitive road transport, boost investment, create jobs and strengthen the region’s economic integration.
