Srinagar: The big-ticket project of running a train to Kashmir received a major boost on Saturday (Jan. 25) as a special Vande Bharat Express successfully carried out its trial train from Katra to Srinagar.
The Vande Bharat train that had left Delhi on Friday (Jan. 24) reached Jammu in the afternoon where it halted for the night before starting its trial run to Srinagar on Saturday morning.
Known for its luxury and speed, the Vande Bharat rake departed from the Katra Railway Station at 8 am and arrived at Srinagar Railway Station at 11 am, covering more than 150 kilometres in merely three hours.
The journey between Jammu to Srinagar usually takes around 6 to 8 hours considering the mountainous paths and tricky bends and curves. However, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link spanning 272 kilometres and connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country for the first time by train, cuts the travel time considerably.
The train from Katra to Srinagar is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month after the Delhi Assembly polls.
Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 41,000 crore, the rail traverses some of the world’s most challenging terrain including the Chenab Bridge, a stunning steel structure that rises 1,178 feet above the river — taller than the Eiffel Tower. Besides, it passes through over 100 kilometres of tunnels carved into the mountains.
Indian Railway’s Chief Area Manager, Srinagar Saqib Yousuf told ETV Bharat that the trial has brought the train operation closer. He said that the Vande Bharat rake has been specially designed for Kashmir’s subzero weather conditions. The train has special features including heating pads to prevent freezing during minus temperatures.
Besides, the windshields of the train have anti-frost technology, specially meant for snowy winters. Originally, the train started its journey from Shakoor Basti Railway Station in New Delhi on Friday (Jan. 24) and reached Jammu Tawi Railway Station at 3:20 pm on the same day. Later, it halted for the night at Katra where it started the trial run to the Valley, passing through mountains, on Saturday.
While Vande Bharat trains are known for speed, the one for Kashmir cannot operate at the speed of 160 km/h as Commissioner Railway safety has set the speed restrictions at 85kmph. A senior Indian Railways Officer said that the increase in speed occurs gradually once the track stablises after running the operations.
Shruti, a tourist from Kerala visiting Kashmir, told ETV Bharat Vande Bharat train connecting the valley with the rest of the country would be "great". "Right now it is difficult to travel between Delhi and Srinagar. One has to travel via train til Jammu and then book a cab to Srinagar. Even now when we are trying to go to Jammu, we have to first take a train from Srinagar to Banihal, and from there a shared taxi for our onward journey. A direct train from Delhi to Kashmir would make it very easy for the visitors," she said.
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