Srinagar—National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday boarded the newly launched Vande Bharat Express from Nowgam Railway Station in Srinagar to Katra, hailing the development as “a huge blessing” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Nowgam station is a vital link in the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, which aims to fully integrate the Kashmir Valley with Jammu and the rest of India through seamless rail connectivity.
Expressing his delight during the journey, Abdullah told reporters, “I am very happy to be travelling on this train to Katra. This is a huge blessing for us and will be of great benefit to tourists. Road travel is difficult, and airfares are very expensive. This train will truly help the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The Vande Bharat Express service between Srinagar and Katra was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, with two trains now operating from Katra Railway Station, significantly boosting regional transport. The high-speed train cuts the travel time between Srinagar and Katra to just three hours — a reduction of nearly two to three hours from the previous journey time.
Specially designed for the cold climate of the Kashmir Valley, the train route also offers a ride through two engineering marvels — the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, and the iconic Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge.
As part of the broader USBRL project, these landmark infrastructures — inaugurated alongside the new train service — mark a significant milestone in improving accessibility and promoting economic integration in the region.
The Chenab Rail Bridge, towering 359 meters above the river, spans 1,315 meters and is built to endure harsh seismic and wind conditions. Together with the Anji Bridge, it enhances connectivity across the mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir.
The USBRL project, valued at ₹43,780 crore, spans 272 kilometers and includes 36 tunnels totaling 119 km and 943 bridges. It aims to establish reliable, all-weather rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country, transforming travel, boosting tourism, and facilitating regional development.
