A senior police officer stated, “The DGP inspected the 17-kilometer-long track. He traveled all the way to the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River in Kauri village. He also visited the country’s first cable-stayed bridge over the Anji River.”

The dream of connecting Kashmir to the railway network has been realized. The specially designed Vande Bharat Express train successfully completed its trial run on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the Vande Bharat train running from Katra to Srinagar next week. Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railways, stated, “No specific date has been set yet, but the inauguration of the Vande Bharat train between Katra and Srinagar will happen soon.” He mentioned that daily trial runs of the train are being conducted. Since the Katra-Banihal rail section is new, additional tests are being carried out to ensure safety.

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project spans 272 kilometers, with the Katra-Reasi section being the most challenging. Meanwhile, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat visited Reasi on Monday to review the security of the newly laid track. A senior police officer stated, “The DGP inspected the 17-kilometer-long track and traveled to the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River in Kauri village. He also reviewed the country’s first cable-stayed rail bridge over the Anji River.” During the visit, the DGP gathered information on the security arrangements for the rail tracks, tunnels, and bridges.

10 Years of Effort to Complete the Railway Line
Saqib Yusuf, the Chief Area Manager of Northern Railways, described the successful trial of the Vande Bharat train as historic. He said, “This is a historic step. It reflects our Prime Minister’s vision of connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country.” Yusuf mentioned that the trial was also aimed at determining the time the train would take on different sections. He added that the successful completion of the trial is the result of 10 years of hard work to finish the rail line.

What Makes the Vande Bharat Express Special
The Railway Safety Commissioner had given the green signal for train operations on the Katra-Baramulla section. The date for the inauguration ceremony in Katra has not been announced yet. According to officials, the Railway Board had unveiled the Vande Bharat Express train on June 8 last year. The train features climate-specific features, including a heating system that prevents the water in the tanks for drinking and bio-toilets from freezing.