Vande Bharat train to reach Kashmir valley soon

The Railways are toying with a proposal to introduce Vande Bharat super fast train between Jammu and Srinagar during the New Year 2024

It has allocated eight coaches for this train, which will operate along the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). The Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express will mark the second Vande Bharat Express in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chennai based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai has announced its plans to introduce Vande Bharat trains equipped with special facilities that will incorporate heating provisions within their compartments according to media reports. There will be specialized pipes designed to avert the freezing and potential breakage of water lines. This initiative is part of ICF's strategy to design and manufacture various versions of the Vande Bharat trains

The train will run on the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link will feature some record-breaking infrastructure projects on the route, including the world's highest rail bridge over river Chenab and also the longest tunnel. Presently, there are no trains connecting Jammu and Srinagar due to the ongoing construction of the railway track linking these two cities in the Union Territory.

The road journey from Jammu to Srinagar is approximately 244 km, which takes about 6 to 7 hours for travellers. With Vande Bharat Express, the train will cover the distance in only three and a half hours, nearly halving the travel time.

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project is a critical railway line being constructed by the  Railways, to link Kashmir Valley from the rest of India. While the train already runs till Udhampur, it's the last point in J&K till which a train can go from the rest of India. On the other hand, the Kashmir Valley has a functional 118 km Banihal-Baramulla railway line.