Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah travelled to Jammu in the Vande Bharat Express, opting for the semi-high-speed train service over conventional modes of travel.
“Time to head to Jammu,” Omar Abdullah captioned the post, sharing candid images of himself seated by the train window with the modern interiors of the Vande Bharat forming the backdrop.
The Vande Bharat Express, known for its comfort, speed, and modern amenities reflects as a symbol of India’s expanding railway modernisation.
Earlier last week, National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah travelled in the Vande Bharat train and paid obeisance at the Maa Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.
Farooq Abdullah said that he had a ‘good darshan’ at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and that he prayed for prosperity and brotherhood in the region.
The Vande Bharat Express operating on the newly launched Katra-Srinagar route is witnessing overwhelming demand from passengers, with bookings full for the next 10 days, according to railway authorities.
Notably, the bridge on the River Chenab, being the highest bridge in the world, is a milestone project for the Indian Railways, which was completed after several ups and downs in a difficult terrain. It connects Kashmir to Jammu and the entire country via rail.
“This is the biggest gift to connect Jammu and Kashmir with the entire country… I had tears in my eyes when I crossed the Chenab Bridge. Finally, the day has come when we can travel to the country from Kashmir by train. I want to congratulate all the workers and engineers who built this bridge…” he said.
The two Vande Bharat Express trains from Katra Railway Station, directly connecting the Jammu division with Kashmir, were flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6.
The new Vande Bharat Express train will take just about three hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing the existing travel time by two to three hours. These trains have been specially designed to operate in the cold climatic conditions of the Kashmir Valley.
The train will run through the Anji Khad Bridge, which is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, and the Chenab Bridge, which is the highest railway arch bridge in the world.
The architectural marvel Chenab Rail Bridge, situated 359 metres above the river, is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. It is a 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge engineered to withstand seismic and wind conditions.
The USBRL project is 272 kilometres long, constructed worth around Rs 43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels (spanning 119 km) and 943 bridges.
The project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration
