Historic First: PM Modi to Flag Off Katra–Srinagar Train on April 19 After 70-Year Wait

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The dream of connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country through rail route is going to be fulfilled soon. PM Modi will flag off the first train from Katra to Srinagar on 19 April. Union Minister Jitendra Singh has confirmed this. 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 wait of 70 years will end, the first train will run from Katra to Srinagar; PM Modi will flag it off on 19th April : Jammu- Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express will start from Katra, as Jammu railway station is currently being renovated. 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.

With the introduction of Vande Bharat Express, the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar will be reduced considerably. There was a demand for a direct rail service to Kashmir for many decades, which will be fulfilled with the introduction 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.

This ambitious project to connect Kashmir by rail was started in 1997. There are a total of 38 tunnels in this project, whose length is 119 km. These include India's longest transport tunnel, 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 has an arch span of 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.