The massive 272-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project will be completed on April 19 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens the inaugural Vande Bharat Express train to Kashmir. Due to works at Jammu railway station, the train will initially run between Katra and Baramulla.
The long-standing need for direct train access to Kashmir is being met by this project, which has been delayed since its start in 1997 because of difficult topographical and geological circumstances.
With 38 tunnels totalling 119 kilometres, the longest of which is Tunnel T-49 at 12.75 km, the rail link boasts impressive engineering feats. It also has 927 bridges, including the world’s highest arch railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, which is 359 meters above the riverbed and 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower. The Anji Khad Bridge, a cable-stayed construction that rises 331 meters above the riverbed, is another noteworthy feature.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety gave his clearance earlier this year after the train service’s successful trial runs. For security considerations, just one Vande Bharat train will run on this route during the day at first. Before boarding subsequent trains, passengers heading to Kashmir would go through a rigorous security check at Katra station.
