Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat train from Katra to Srinagar on April 19. The 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link project has been completed.
The dream of connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country through rail route is going to be fulfilled soon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first train from Katra to Srinagar on 19 April. Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed this and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat train from Katra on 19 April. Kashmir is going to get this gift after the completion of the 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link project to connect Kashmir with other parts of the country.
The Jammu-Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express will start from Katra as the Jammu railway station is currently being renovated. According to officials, this railway link project was completed last month. Train trials have been successfully conducted on the Katra-Baramulla route. The Railway Safety Commissioner (CRS) approved the train service between Katra and Kashmir in January this year.
Travel time will be reduced
Officials say that the launch of Vande Bharat Express will reduce the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar significantly and will provide a modern and efficient rail service to the region. There was a demand for a direct rail service to Kashmir for many decades, which will be fulfilled with the launch of this train. Currently, train service is available only from Sangaldan to Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley, while trains run from Katra to other parts of the country.
The ambitious project to connect Kashmir by rail was started in 1997
, but it was delayed several times due to geography, climate and geographical challenges. The project has a total of 38 tunnels, with a length of 119 km. These include India’s longest transport tunnel, the 12.75 km long Tunnel T-49.
Apart from this, 927 bridges have been built, whose total length is 13 km. The most special among these is the Chenab Bridge, which is 1,315 meters long and its arch span is 467 meters. This bridge is 359 meters high from the river bed, that is, 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower. It is the world’s highest arch railway bridge.
Srinagar Vande Bharat is very special.
According to the Railway Ministry, the Vande Bharat Express running in Kashmir will be different from the Vande Bharat trains running in other parts of the country. It has been designed to run smoothly in temperatures up to -20 degrees Celsius. Advanced heating systems have been installed in the train for the convenience of passengers and drivers. According to the Railway Ministry, the Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat train has been specially designed for extremely cold areas. On this route, a snow-clearing train will run before passenger and goods trains, so that this rail route can remain operational throughout the year, day and night. This train will ensure uninterrupted rail service between Jammu and Kashmir in all seasons.
Keeping in mind the safety and comfort of passengers, anti-vibration seismic devices have been installed in this project, as this area falls in earthquake sensitive Zone-V. These devices will work to absorb the tremors in the Himalayan region, which will make train travel faster and safer. Heated windshield in the driver cabin, so that there will be no problem of fog or ice formation in the winter and visibility will remain intact. Bio-toilets and heating system in pipes, so that water does not freeze and the essential facilities of the train keep working even in the cold.
Related Articles:_
Delhi govt directs private schools to provide free uniforms, books to EWS and special students
IMD Rain Alert: There will be hailstorm along with heavy rain for the next 5 days
Mutual fund, credit card, income tax and UPI related details will change from tomorrow
