SUHAIL KHAN
SRINAGAR, Jan 1: The direct train to Kashmir is finally becoming a reality, with Northern Railways announcing the first-ever train timings between Katra in Jammu and Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
The train service will include newly introduced Vande Bharat trains as well as Mail/Express trains, according to a communication from Northern Railways.
The Vande Bharat sleeper train from Delhi to Srinagar will take 13 hours to complete the journey and will stop at six locations. This train will pass through picturesque destinations and the world’s highest bridge on the Chenab River.
According to a communication from Northern Railways, of which a copy is with Kashmir Despatch, the train timings are as follows:
Train Timings:
Vande Bharat Express:
Departs Katra (SVDK): 8:10 a.m.
Arrives Srinagar: 11:20 a.m.
Mail/Express (Morning):
Departs Katra: 9:50 a.m.
Arrives Srinagar: 1:10 p.m.
Mail/Express (Afternoon):
Departs Katra: 3:00 p.m.
Arrives Srinagar: 6:20 p.m.
The train service to Kashmir is expected to be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi around January 20. However, the specific date and location for the inauguration have not been finalized.
Importantly, the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a mock drill at railway stations and tunnels in South Kashmir on Tuesday in anticipation of the launch of the first Srinagar-Delhi train service.
“For us, this is a significant occasion and a historical moment, so a mock drill was conducted at Qazigund railway station and other locations. We will be conducting more mock drills in the coming days,” said a senior police officer in Kulgam. “The mock drill was part of the security and safety measures for railway lines, stations, and tunnels,” he added.
Earlier, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link has been completed.
“Historic milestone: final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link is complete. The blast-free track work for the 3.2 km long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was completed today at 2:00 a.m.,” he wrote on X.
Three days ago, a load test with a freight train and trucks on the Anji Khad cable-stayed bridge was also successfully conducted.
Currently, Kashmir has a limited railway service, with trains operating between Sangaldan and Banihal in the Jammu division, and to Srinagar and Baramulla in the Valley. On the Jammu side, trains run up to Udhampur and Katra, which are connected to the broader Indian Railways network.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
