KATRA, June 2 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the first Vande Bharat sleeper train connecting Srinagar to New Delhi on Saturday from Katra, Jammu, marking a major milestone in Jammu and Kashmir’s rail connectivity.
The inauguration, initially planned for April 19, was postponed. However, sources say the Prime Minister could travel to Jammu by the end of this week for the formal flag-off ceremony.
The launch is being viewed as a historic step for the Union Territory, especially in the aftermath of the recent Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead, most of them tourists. “This train could be a game changer in reviving tourism and trade in Kashmir,” a senior official said.
Until now, the Vande Bharat service operated only between Baramulla in north Kashmir and Sangaldan in Jammu. With the completion of all tunnels and key track segments, the train will now run directly between Srinagar and the national capital.
This will be the first rail service connecting Delhi to Srinagar and is expected to take around 13 hours. The route includes six scheduled stops and a proposed halt at Katra for security reasons.
“The train will pass through some of the most scenic landscapes in the country, including the iconic Chenab bridge and the newly built cable-stayed Anji bridge,” an official from the railway ministry said.
The Chenab bridge, at 359 meters above the riverbed, is the world’s highest railway arch bridge, while the Anji bridge is India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge. Both structures are located in Jammu’s Reasi district.
The railway journey into Kashmir began in 2009 with the Qazigund–Baramulla line. It was extended to Banihal in 2013, followed by the Udhampur–Katra link in 2014. In 2023, the Banihal–Sangaldan stretch was added. The railway project was conceived in 1995 and has taken nearly 30 years to reach full connectivity.
The new sleeper Vande Bharat train has already been used to ferry soldiers following the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan, underscoring its strategic and logistical value.
Although preparations are underway for a grand inauguration, it remains unclear whether PM Modi will meet victims from border shelling-hit areas during his visit, sources said.
