Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express set to launch between Katra & Srinagar

Final inspection commences on 111km long Katra-Banihal section connecting Jammu to Kashmir valley

Jammu and Srinagar will soon be closer as the travel time between them will be merely three hours ten minutes. With the commencement of final safety inspection, 111 Km long Banihal-Katra Section in the newly constructed, Jammu division, the rail commuters can expect a world class travel experience on this route from later this year as Jammu station is being redeveloped for equipping it with 8 platforms and modern amenities. However, an 8 coach Jammu Srinagar Vande Bharat express between Katra to Srinagar will start running soon.

With this transformation, the long wait of train connectivity between Kashmir Valley & Jammu will be over. The completion of Banihal-Katra section has been an engineering marvel in which 97 KMs of length is tunnel and 7 KMs of distance is covered by 4 main bridges.

Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat train is especially designed with anti-freezing features. The snow removal train, moving ahead of passenger and freight trains will make sure that trains on this strategic route runs all through the year, day and night. This will ensure all weather connectivity between both the regions. To give passengers a comfortable & safe travel experience, Railways has used Anti-Vibration seismic devices in the project as this region falls in zone-V earthquake vulnerability. These dampers will absorb the tremors in the Himalayan terrain and thus maintain faster and safer travel to the commuters.

The Vande Bharat Express running in Kashmir is different from the Vande Bharat Express running across the country. It is specially designed to operate smoothly in extreme cold conditions, i.e. as low as -20°C. To ensure comfort for passengers and drivers, the train is equipped with advanced heating systems. The driver’s cabin features heated windshield to prevent it from fogging up or freezing, ensuring clear visibility in extreme temperatures. Further the train has heating elements in the plumbing and bio-toilets to prevent water from freezing, ensuring that essential systems continue to function during cold weather.

Source: PIB