Fresh off the tracks, fully booked! Srinagar Vande Bharat Express sees massive 10-day demand

Time of India

a day ago

The newly inaugurated Vande Bharat Express on the Katra–Srinagar route has struck a powerful chord with travellers, drawing an overwhelming public response within days of its launch.
According to railway authorities, the train is fully booked for the next 10 days, reflecting both regional excitement and rising demand for high-speed rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
The train, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, marks a significant milestone in the Indian Railways' ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project — a venture that has stitched Kashmir's rugged terrain into the national railway map.
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Station Superintendent at Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station, Jugal Kishor Sharma, confirmed the surge in passenger interest. 'We are receiving a very good response from the public for the Vande Bharat Express, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. People are very excited, and there are no seats available for the next 10 days,' Sharma told ANI.
He attributed the surge in bookings to the train's modern features and the cultural and touristic importance of the route. 'It's a new route, and there is great enthusiasm among the public to travel on it — that's why there's a long waiting list for seats,' he added.
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The train, connecting Katra, a major pilgrimage site for devotees of Mata Vaishno Devi, with Srinagar, the crown of the Kashmir Valley, completes the journey in just about three hours, shaving two to three hours off existing travel times.
Railway staff, Sharma assured, are working round-the-clock to ensure a smooth experience for the growing number of travellers. 'We are making sure that there are no discomfort or complaints from the passengers. The railway staff is also making all necessary efforts to facilitate the passengers,' he said.
A symbolic journey over iconic bridges
The Vande Bharat train travels through two landmark engineering feats — the
Anji Khad Bridge
, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, and the
Chenab Bridge
, the tallest railway arch bridge in the world. Together, they symbolise the transformation of once-impenetrable Himalayan geography into a corridor of modern mobility.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was among the first to ride the train, calling it the "biggest gift" for the people of the Union Territory. "My eyes became teary when the train crossed the Chenab Bridge," he told reporters, reflecting the emotional resonance of the moment.
Accompanying him was Minister Satish Sharma, who described the launch as a 'historic moment' and a long-awaited fulfilment for the people of the region. He underlined the train's role in breaking the monopoly of airlines, offering locals a more accessible and affordable mode of travel.
A transformative rail link for the region
Built at an estimated cost of ₹43,780 crore, the USBRL project spans 272 km, including 36 tunnels totalling 119 km and 943 bridges. Its completion ensures all-weather, high-speed rail connectivity between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley — a vision that took decades to materialise due to the region's complex terrain and climatic challenges.
The Vande Bharat Express trains deployed on this route have been specially engineered to operate in cold climatic conditions, equipped with rapid acceleration, plush interiors, and improved safety protocols.
As demand surges, Indian Railways is now tasked with scaling operations to meet the enthusiasm on the ground. But for now, the buzzing platforms of Katra and Srinagar tell the story — of pilgrims, tourists, and locals boarding not just a train, but a new chapter in Jammu and Kashmir's journey of integration and mobility.