Delay in Launching Vande Bharat Train Service to Kashmir Valley
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Synopsis
The inauguration of the Vande Bharat train service to the Kashmir Valley has been postponed. The service, which connects Udhampur, Srinagar, and Baramulla, was initially set to launch on February 17 by Prime Minister Modi. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is one of India's most ambitious infrastructure projects.
Key Takeaways
- The launch of Vande Bharat train service has been postponed.
- Prime Minister Modi was expected to inaugurate it on February 17.
- The project features the world's tallest railway bridge.
- The train is designed for extreme weather conditions.
- The 150 km journey will take two and a half hours.
Jammu, Feb 16 (NationPress) The launch of the Vande Bharat train service to the Kashmir Valley has been delayed, as confirmed by officials on Sunday.
Previous reports, which officials deemed unverified, indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to inaugurate the Vande Bharat train service connecting Udhampur, Srinagar, and Baramulla on February 17.
No official date for the inauguration has been provided by authorities following the announcement of the postponement.
The ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) stands as one of the most challenging railway endeavors undertaken by Indian Railways.
Technologically, it ranks among the globe's most daunting railway projects, representing a substantial infrastructure undertaking by Indian Railways.
This initiative features the country's inaugural cable-stayed Anji Khad Bridge, characterized by a pylon soaring 331 meters high.
The Chenab Railway Bridge, the tallest railway bridge worldwide, surpasses the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris at 359 meters above the river bed. The railway route between Udhampur and Srinagar comprises over a dozen tunnels.
Engineered for extreme weather, the Vande Bharat train can function in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.
It boasts cutting-edge amenities, including fully air-conditioned coaches with electric outlets, reading lights, CCTV cameras, automatic doors, bio-vacuum toilets, sensor-based water taps, and a passenger information system.
The coaches feature broader windows with roller blinds and overhead luggage racks.
The driver's windshield is equipped with an advanced defrost system, ensuring clear visibility in moist and high-humidity conditions.
The distance of 150 km between Udhampur and Baramulla will be traversed in just two and a half hours. The initial train swap at Katra will be eliminated by August 15, coinciding with the upgrades to the Jammu railway station.
The commercial trial of the USBRL has been successfully completed, and this 70-year-old aspiration of the people of Kashmir is now awaiting its formal inauguration by Prime Minister Modi.
