Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to virtually flag off two specially designed Vande Bharat trains between Srinagar and Katra on June 6. The event will mark a historic milestone which is the completion of the long-awaited railway link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India, a project that began over four decades ago. The world’s highest railway bridge, Indian Railways’ first cable-stayed bridge and longest tunnel T-50 (around 13 km) is on the same 272-km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line.
Completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (USBRL) will finally be fully operational with the opening of its last 111-km stretch, the Katra-Banihal section, which was completed in January 2025. The inauguration was originally planned for April 19 but was postponed due to weather concerns and subsequently delayed following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam and heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
The official launch is now being scheduled ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Modi government’s third term on June 9.
Two Vande Bharat Trains on the New Route
The two new Vande Bharat Express trains will run in both directions, one from Katra to Srinagar and the other from Srinagar to Katra. These high-speed trains will operate exclusively between the two cities for now.
Due to ongoing construction at the Jammu Railway Yard, direct Vande Bharat service between Jammu and Srinagar is not yet possible. Until this work is completed, likely by August or September, passengers will have to change trains at Katra for onward travel.
Security Measures and Interim Arrangements
The restricted operation of the Vande Bharat trains, which currently do not enter Jammu directly, was initially attributed to security concerns. However, railway officials clarified that it is primarily due to infrastructure work at Jammu station. Political leaders in Kashmir had earlier criticized the restricted routing, arguing it undermines the purpose of full connectivity to the Valley.
New Railway Division for Jammu
In a related development, the newly formed Jammu Division of Indian Railways became operational this week. Headquartered at Jammu Tawi, this is the 70th division of Indian Railways and includes large sections reassigned from the historic Firozpur Division. The new division will manage major stretches of the USBRL and strengthen operations in the region.
Project Cost and Background
The USBRL project is estimated to cost over Rs 43,000 crore, with approximately Rs 35,000 crore invested in the Katra-Banihal section alone. Currently, local trains operate along 184 km of the completed route between Sangaldan in Jammu and Baramulla in Kashmir, and a 25-km stretch between Udhampur and Katra. The remaining 63-km Katra–Sangaldan section is the final piece, now ready for public use.
The foundation stone for the Udhampur–Srinagar rail line was first laid in 1983 by the then Congress government led by Indira Gandhi. However, significant progress only began after it was declared a national project in 2002 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.