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Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Vande Bharat train to Srinagar steaming ahead with good public response
The Vande Bharat trains between Katra and Srinagar inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, which connected Kashmir with the rest of the country, are getting good response from people, officials said. The train has brought a new level of enthusiasm among the tourist players of Kashmir who have been reeling under a slump after the flight of tourists out of the Valley following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. The train services which started from Saturday, on the Eid festival, recorded increased footfall, including that of tourists. 'The footfall has been good for the past three days since its start. People are happy over the services,' said Saqib Yousuf, Northern Railway's chief area manager in Jammu and Kashmir. Yousuf didn't specify the number of people but people in know of the things said that hundreds made the journeys in the past three days. PM Modi inaugurated the train service on Friday paving way for the connection of Himalayan Kashmir valley with the rest of the country through rail after the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line in January. While the train is expected to be a boon for locals as well as the traders curtailing the travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just 3 hours (from 6-7 hours) independent of the weather vagaries, the tourists are also finding it easy and exciting to visit the region and enjoy its beauty. Earlier the train used to run standalone between Baramulla in Kashmir and Sangaldan in Jammu province. But now the Jammu-Katra and Katra-Srinagar services completed the missing link making it the first train between Delhi and Srinagar since railway was introduced in the Indian subcontinent. The train passes through picturesque destinations and the world's highest bridge on Chenab. The track to Kashmir has 38 tunnels and 927 bridges. The rail link has two engineering marvels —world's highest rail arch bridge at 359m over Chenab River and India's first cable-stayed rail bridge over Anji river. Abhijeet, who was travelling with his family of four from Haryana, had initially thought to visit Vaisno Devi shrine in Katra and return back. But with the inauguration of Vande Bharat, he decided for a trip to the Srinagar. 'We are very excited for the journey to see Kashmir for the first time in our lives,' the couple said. 'So far, most of the people and tourists would visit the shrine in Katra and return but now everybody will get a chance to visit Kashmir. Whenever we used to come we would not go beyond Patnitop,' Abhijeet said. The Chenab bridge is drawing admiration from everywhere. People are excitedly clicking pictures with it. Even the flight pilots are making special announcements and passengers are showing eagerness to capture photographs of the Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway-arch bridge, said the railway ministry. Every day two Vande Bharat trains make a total of four trips from Katra to Srinagar and back. Passengers have to pay ₹715 for a chair car seat and ₹1,320 for executive class. For the second train the fare prices are ₹660 for a chair car seat and ₹1,270 for executive class. Secretary general of Kashmir travel agents association Sajad Ahmad Kralyari said tourism has received a boost as the inauguration by the PM has sent a positive signal that things are normal and tourists can come. 'Vande Bharat trains to Kashmir are sending a positive signal and we are now getting queries from even high end tourists,' Kralyari said. 'Around 1.5 crore people visit Vaishno Devi Shrine every year. So far only 10-20% would come to Kashmir by road which was cumbersome and time consuming. Now it is easy for them to come as they are just three hours away,' he said. He also said that travelling in the train is itself an attraction as it passes through places which one would see once in a lifetime. 'They see tunnels, rivers, forests and feel the Himalayas close enough. They also travel over the world's highest railway bridge which has also become a tourist attraction,' Kralyari said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Consumer court asks rlys to pay 2.3L to Behala family for delay
1 2 3 Kolkata: The state consumer disputes redressal commission ordered railway authorities to compensate Rs 1 lakh in addition to the cost of air fares to Raghunath Chakraborty, a Behala resident, whose 12-member family missed their Kolkata-bound flight from Delhi due to the delayed Kerala Sampark Kranti Express. They had to purchase new flight tickets for Rs 1,38,281. The bench with Ajeya Matilal and Nityasundar Trivedi instructed the railway board chairman and Northern Railway GM to pay Rs 1 lakh compensation and reimburse Rs 1.3 lakh, and also cover litigation costs of Rs 10,000. On June 14, 2017, Chakraborty's family travelled from Chandigarh to Delhi to catch their 5.50 pm Jet Airways flight to Kolkata. They boarded the 9 am train from Chandigarh, scheduled to reach Delhi by 1.20 pm. However, the Kerala Sampark Kranti Express arrived at Delhi at 5 pm, causing them to miss their flight. Subsequently, they booked Indigo airline tickets costing Rs 1.3 lakh. In their appeal, the family said they had no choice but to purchase last-minute flight tickets. Though they filed a plaint in the district forum citing service deficiency, it was rejected. Railways defended the delay, citing track welding work for passenger safety. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Medical Mystery Solved: Dementia and Memory Loss Has Been Linked To This Common Thing. vitalgethealth Click Here Undo Chakraborty's family then approached the state commission. Citing an SC verdict, it determined service deficiency and held railways liable for compensation, stating: "Citizens/passengers cannot be at the mercy of the authorities. Somebody has to accept responsibility." The court rejected the safety-related excuse and advised that routine track maintenance should be organised to prevent delays and passenger inconvenience.
The Print
3 days ago
- The Print
Not a seat left vacant as J&K's all-new Vande Bharat makes first journey from Katra to Srinagar
Two passenger trains will run daily from Katra to Srinagar—one at 8:10 am and another at 2:55 pm. The trains were launched on the eve of Eid-ul-Adha. In fact, according to the IRCTC website, the pairs of trains for Saturday and Sunday were fully booked within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating them 6 June. Katra/Jammu: When the Vande Bharat Express left the Katra railway station at 8:10 am Saturday on its first commercial journey to Srinagar, it was 100 percent booked. The return journey is also fully booked, as are the train's journeys on Sunday. The 272-km Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) will provide all-weather connectivity. The historic line connects Kashmir not just to Jammu but to the rest of India via a railway line for the first time. On Friday, PM Modi flagged off two train services: one from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Railway Station in Katra to Srinagar, and the other from Srinagar to Katra. Alongside, the prime minister also inaugurated the world's highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab as well as the country's first cable-stayed bridge of the Indian Railways over Anji Khad. Within Jammu and Kashmir, trains have so far been operational between Banihal and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley, and between Jammu, Udhampur, and Katra in the Jammu region. But for the first, a direct train link from Jammu's Katra to Srinagar has opened. The launch of this rail link comes just weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Kashmir has seen a dip in tourism since the 22 April attack, and the new train service is being seen as a move toward restoring normalcy in the Valley. In his address, PM Modi said the attack on tourists in Pahalgam was an attempt to 'engineer communal clashes across the country and deprive the people of Kashmir of their livelihood.' Also Read: What Indian Railways needs right now—safety more than speed The inaugural run On 6 June, the inaugural Vande Bharat Express ran from Katra to Sangaldan in Ramban district, and a second service ran from Srinagar to Sangaldan. To reach the station, the train passed through two key engineering landmarks: the Anji Khad cable-stayed bridge and the towering Chenab rail bridge—the tallest railway bridge in the world. In its journey to Sangalda, the train goes through breathtaking lush green hills, stretches of pine forest, and a series of tunnels—almost one every half a kilometre—cut through rugged terrain. According to Northern Railway spokesperson Dilip Kumar, the train has been designed using advanced technology to operate in J&K's tough topographic and climatic conditions. 'The train has been equipped with such technology that it will warm up to provide comfort to the passengers during intense winters the region witnesses,' Kumar told ThePrint. The most challenging part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project was constructing the Chenab rail bridge—made of steel and concrete. It was a difficult task as the region falls in a high-risk seismic zone and witnesses frequent spells of gusty winds. After several trial runs, the train was finally launched on 6 June. According to the railway officials, the Chenab bridge can withstand wind speeds up to 260 km/h. It has a projected lifespan of 120 years. 'This is not any general railway line but an engineering marvel. It's the feather in the cap of Indian Railways and a proud moment for the engineers and everyone involved in building this bridge,' Kumar said. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Now Katra to Srinagar in just 3 hrs. PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat linking Kashmir to rest of India
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project fully operational after nearly 28 years
The 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project, which was started in 1997, took almost 28 years to become operational. Its first 55 km long section between Jammu and Udhampur was completed in April 2005. According to Northern Railways, the whole project was completed and operationalised in multiple phases, with the last one being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (June 7, 2025). After opening the Jammu-Udhampur section, the then UPA government focused on sections in Kashmir and operationalised the 68 km long Anantnag-Mazhom rail link in October 2008. "Then came a 32 km long Mazhom - Baramulla rail link on which train services started in February 2009. So by 2009, locals availed train journey from the last point of the USBRL project, ie, Baramulla to Anantnag," a Northern Railway official said. He added, "Since work was going on simultaneously on other sections, Railways was able to extend the train service from Anantnag to Quazigund towards Jammu side by October end in 2009." The Railways achieved another significant milestone when it further extended the train services from Quazigund to Banihal in June 2013, which involved the construction of an 11.215 km long Pir Panjal tunnel. "Almost a year later, in July 2014, the Udhampur-Katra line from the Jammu side was made operational," the official said. Banihal to Katra connectivity According to a railway source, "When the Modi government came to power, the rail services were operational from Baramulla to Banihal in Kashmir side and Katra to Jammu on the other side. The missing link - Banihal to Katra - needed to become operational for bringing Kashmir on the rail network of the country." "The Modi government completed the Banihal to Katra connectivity in two phases. First, Banihal to Sangaldan in Feb 2024 and then Sangaldan to Katra on June 6, 2025, was made operational, completing the missing link," he added. VIDEO | Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir: Vande Bharat Express, flagged off by PM Modi a short while ago, crosses the Chenab bridge - world's highest railway arch bridge.#JammuKashmir#ChenabRailBridge (Full video available on PTI Videos - — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 6, 2025 The Northern Railway said that the Banihal to Katra section has the iconic Chenab and Anji Bridge and some of the toughest and longest tunnels. "For instance, the 12.75 km long country's longest operational rail tunnel is between Banihal and Sangaldan. Many other challenging infrastructure development works were materialised in the past 11 years," another official said.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express train flagged off by PM Modi: Know ticket fares, timing and more
Prime Minister Narendra Modihas flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains connecting Katra in Jammu with Srinagar in Kashmir, marking a significant milestone following the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. So far, train services were operational only between Banihal and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley, and between Jammu, Udhampur, and Katra in the Jammu region. This project will establish all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration. The trains are equipped with climate-specific adaptations and provide heating at sub-zero temperatures, along with defrosting elements embedded on the driver's lookout glass. They will offer a swift, comfortable, and reliable travel option for residents, tourists, pilgrims among others. Additionally, there will be the incorporation of heated windscreens and thermally insulated lavatories. A key impact of this train would be that, moving along the Chenab bridge, it will take just about three hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing the existing travel time by two-three hours. The Northern Railway announced the commencement of regular services of the Vande Bharat Express trains between Srinagar and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra from June 7. The services will operate six days a week, enhancing connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the prominent pilgrimage destination. Currently, Two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains will be introduced. Train Nos. 26404/26403 and 26401/26402 were introduced on the Srinagar-Katra-Srinagar route, with an intermediate halt at Banihal. Passengers travelling on the new Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express will have to pay ₹715 for a chair car seat and ₹1,320 for executive class. According to Northern Railway, the two Vande Bharat trains will run a total of four trips daily on this route. Train number 26401 will depart from Katra at 8:10am and reach Srinagar by 11:08am. On the return leg, it will leave Srinagar at 2pm and reach Katra by 4:58pm. This train will not run on Tuesdays. The second service, train number 26403, will depart from Katra at 2:55pm and arrive in Srinagar at 5:53pm. Its return journey from Srinagar will begin early the next morning, arriving in Katra at 8pm. This train will not operate on Wednesdays. (With ANI inputs)
