Jammu, Feb 16: The much-anticipated launch of the Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir has been postponed, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Earlier, unverified reports had suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (USBRL) Vande Bharat train on February 17, but authorities have not provided a revised date for the inauguration.
The USBRL rail link is one of Indian Railways’ most challenging infrastructure projects, featuring the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Railway Bridge—standing 359 meters above the river bed, taller than the Eiffel Tower. The project also boasts India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, Anji Khad, with a 331-meter-high pylon, along with over a dozen tunnels on the route.
Designed for extreme weather conditions, the Vande Bharat train can operate at minus 20 degrees Celsius. It features fully air-conditioned coaches, automatic doors, bio-vacuum toilets, sensor-based water taps, CCTV cameras, and a passenger information system. The train’s advanced defrost system ensures clear visibility in Kashmir’s foggy conditions.
Covering the 150 km distance between Udhampur and Baramulla in just two and a half hours, the train’s initial swap at Katra will be eliminated by August 15, coinciding with the upgradation of Jammu Railway Station.
The commercial trial of the USBRL has already been completed, marking the final step in a 70-year-old dream for Kashmir’s railway connectivity. Now, the region awaits only the Prime Minister’s formal inauguration to mark this historic milestone.
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