PM Modi to flag off Kashmir’s first train today: Here's why this is a landmark rail milestone for India

First train to Kashmir: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finally inaugurate the first Vande Bharat Express train to Kashmir today from Jammu after the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project.

This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after ‘Operation Sindoor’ – India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan launched on 7 May in response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Modi will flag off train services from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) railway station in Jammu's Katra to Srinagar Kashmir. On the occasion, Modi will also flag off another train from Srinagar to Katra.

Trains have been running between Banihal and Baramulla, north of Srinagar in the Kashmir valley, and between Jammu, Udhampur and Katra in the Jammu region. However, the 111-km Katra-Banihal section was the most difficult to construct owing to the challenging terrain.

Modi will also inaugurate the highest railway arch bridge over the river Chenab and India’s first cable-stayed Anji Khad bridge on the occasion. He is also expected to address a rally.

Earlier, the inauguration of the much-awaited train was scheduled for 19 April, however, it was postponed due to bad weather. Three days later Pahalgam terror attack happened in Kashmir.

‘Historic milestone’

The development will end over 70 years of waiting for a direct train service to Kashmir, linking the valley to the rest of India for the first time through a rail link. At present, trains are operational just between Sangaldan and Baramulla in the Valley and from Katra to across the country.

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link (USBRL) Project was initially sanctioned in 1995 by Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao at an estimated cost of ₹2,500 crore.

While the ambitious project to connect Kashmir by train began in 1997, it was commissioned in bits and pieces and faced multiple delays due to the geographical challenges posed by the terrain. However, it gained momentum after then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee designated it as a national initiative in 2002.

In 2009, the Qazigund-Baramulla section in Kashmir was rendered operational, following which in 2013, the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund section, and in 2014, the 24-km Udhampur-Katra section were started.

The section between Banihal and Sangaldan was started in 2023, and now the connectivity between Sangaldan and Katra, which is believed to be the most difficult section, has been completed.

The Banihal-Katra section contains 97 km of tunnels and 7 km of bridges.

In December 2024, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Railways, said that the final track construction of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link was finished.

“Historic milestone; final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is complete. The ballastless track work for the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was successfully completed today at 02:00 hrs,” he wrote on X

World’s tallest railway bridge

The famous Chenab Bridge, the world’s tallest railway bridge standing 359 meters above mean sea level, is also part of the track and will enhance the picturesque route connecting Jammu and Srinagar.

At an estimated cost of over ₹43,000 crore, the USBR L project involved laying out ballastless tracks over bridges and tunnels, spanning deep gorges. Ninety per cent of the route was traversed over 943 bridges and 36 main tunnels, including India’s longest railway tunnel, T-50, which stretched more than 12.7 km.

On the Katra-Banihal section, the train will also traverse another engineering marvel: the Anji Khad bridge, India’s first cable-stayed bridge. Supported by 96 cables, the 725-meter-long bridge stands 331 meters above mean sea level.

For now, only one Kashmir-specific Vande Bharat train will ply the Katra and Srinagar route to Baramulla. Based on the public response, officials said, more trains will start plying the route.

Delhi to Srinagar Via Jammu

Earlier a direct train from Delhi to Srinagar was expected. But due to security and weather reasons, the passengers would have to get down at the Katra railway station and board another train to continue the journey to Kashmir.

In February, Vaishnaw said that passengers who want to travel from Delhi to Srinagar can book one ticket and change the train at Katra railway station. All passengers boarding the train to Srinagar from Delhi or vice versa, or from any other part of the country, would have to undergo thorough frisking.

Besides, their luggage would be screened at the time of boarding. Once the passengers got off at the Katra station, the luggage would undergo fresh scanning at the departure lounges. Before they board another train, the security personnel would again subject them to frisking.

The trains will operate on the Kashmir route only during the daytime. No trains will operate during the evening hours in the Valley.

Climate-Specific Vande Bharat

The Kashmir version of Vande Bharat is equipped with climate-specific adaptations to provide advanced heating systems in sub-zero temperatures, driver’s front lookout glass embedded with heating elements for defrosting, and to ensure clear visibility during harsh winters.

The completion of the USBRL Project and the launch of direct Vande Bharat trains between Kashmir and Delhi via Jammu would improve the region's connectivity with the rest of the country. In addition to addressing logistical issues, this would boost economic expansion and encourage travel.

Key Features of the Project

-The total cost of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link project is about ₹43,000 crore.

-The seamless all-weather connectivity links Kashmir Valley to the rest of India for the first time through a rail link.

-The connectivity will boost the local economy and trade by offering easier transport of local goods like apples, saffron and handicrafts to major Indian markets. Until now, these products had to be transported through the Jammu and Kashmir Highway, which gets affected by harsh weather during winters.

-The rail link will also improve access to popular destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Tourism in Kashmir Valley was severely affected after the Pahalgam terror attack.

-Officials said that the project will also create employment opportunities in the railway, tourism, and logistics sectors. 

-Above all, it simplifies travel to major cities for medical care and universities.