PM Modi likely to inaugurate Vande Bharat to Srinagar this weekend
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the Vande Bharat train, connecting Srinagar to national captial, on Saturday from Katra in Jammu.
Earlier, the inauguration ceremony was scheduled for April 19, however, it was postponed. Sources, however, said that PM Modi could travel to Jammu by the end of this week to inaugurate the Vande Bharat train.
The inauguration will be a historical moment for J&K as it will help to boost tourism and the trade activities in the region, especially after the recent Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people (mostly tourists) lost their lives. The attack impacted the tourism. Since then government along with stakeholders is trying to get tourists back to the UT, especially Kashmir and the train could prove to be a game changer.
Earlier, the train used to run between Baramulla in Kashmir and Sangaldan in Jammu province. Now with all the tunnels and stretches complete, the rail will run between the summer capital of Srinagar and other parts of the country.
This Vande Bharat sleeper train will pass through picturesque destinations and the world's highest bridge on Chenab and will 13 hours to complete its journey between Delhi to Srinagar. It will stop at six places and will be the first train between Delhi and Srinagar. A stopover has been proposed at Katra due to security reasons. Recently, soldiers were ferried in this train after the announcement of ceasefire between India and Pakistan
The track to Kashmir has 38 tunnels and 927 bridges. The rail link has two engineering marvels in Reasi district—world's highest rail arch bridge at 359m over Chenab River and India's first cable-stayed rail bridge over Anji river.
The train started operating in Kashmir for the first time in history in 2009 after the Qazigund-Baramulla railway track was opened. Four years later, the train was extended beyond Qazigund to Banihal after completion of a tunnel between Qazigund in Kashmir and Banihal in Jammu. A year later Udhampur to Katra link was thrown open and in 2023, Banihal to Sangaldan link was also opened. Currently the trains run between Baramulla to Sangaldan passing through Srinagar. The foundation of the railway project in Kashmir was laid in 1995 and took around three decades to complete.
Sources, however, said it's not clear whether PM Narendra Modi will meet victims from shelling hit areas.
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