Jammu, Sept 25 (IANS) The Vande Bharat train, presently operating from Katra in J&K’s Reasi district to Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley, will soon start its operation from Jammu railway station to Srinagar, railway officials said on Thursday.

“Vande Bharat train, which is currently operating between Katra and Srinagar, will soon start its operation from Jammu railway station to Srinagar. Preparations are going on to facilitate the expansion of the semi-high speed service,” Divisional Railway Manager, Vivek Kumar, told reporters here.

He said that the plan to link Jammu directly with Srinagar through Vande Bharat had been delayed due to widespread damage to railway tracks caused by recent incessant rains and floods.

“The restoration work is underway at a rapid pace, and the service will be launched once safety clearances are in place. We are working on it. The delay occurred because of massive damage to tracks due to floods and heavy rains. But sooner or later, this service will be available to the people of Jammu,” he said.

The Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat service, introduced earlier this year, has already eased travel time between the Valley and the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

The extension to Jammu is expected to further boost connectivity, benefiting pilgrims, tourists, students, traders and the common citizen.

Vivek Kumar added that once the extension becomes operational, the train is expected to run on a daily schedule connecting Jammu to Srinagar with improved travel comfort and reduced journey time compared to existing rail and road services.

The Jammu-Srinagar rail link is an engineering marvel as it involved highly technical know-how to build the link in the most difficult Himalayan region.

The link includes the world’s highest railway bridge on the Chenab River in Reasi district and the country’s first cable-stayed Anji Khad bridge.

There are more than 2 dozen tunnels through which the Vande Bharat train travels before reaching the Valley.

–IANS

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