The Indian Railways is set to revolutionise travel between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu with the introduction of two custom-designed Vande Bharat trains. These trains will offer two daily services between Srinagar and Katra significantly reducing travel time in the region.
Speaking to a news publication, Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity Railway Board stated, “Two rakes have been organised for Kashmir valley. One train will start from Katra for Srinagar and will conclude its journey in Katra. Similarly another train will start from Srinagar and will conclude its journey back to Srinagar. That way there will be two services offered to the people from each side.”
The journey between Katra and Srinagar will now take approximately three hours, a considerable improvement on previous travel times.
Operating trains in Kashmir presents unique challenges with temperatures often dropping below zero degrees Celsius. To combat this, the Vande Bharat trains have been upgraded with special features including heating elements in windshields and silicon heating pads in water and bio-toilet tanks. Heated plumbing pipelines and heaters in the Indian toilets further ensure passenger comfort during harsh winters.
Each train comprises eight coaches, seven chair car coaches and one executive class coach. Security has also been heightened in the region to ensure smooth operations.
Originally scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 19, the launch has been postponed. However, the anticipation remains high for this significant development in Kashmir’s connectivity. The Vande Bharat Express promises not only to cut travel time but also to provide a reliable mode of transport regardless of weather conditions facilitating the movement of people and goods.