A wave of excitement swept through Katra on Friday as school children gathered eagerly to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived to flag off the inaugural Vande Bharat Express connecting Katra to Srinagar via the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL).
Students, accompanied by their teachers, expressed their enthusiasm about witnessing the Prime Minister in person and the historic launch of the first Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir.
“We have come to see PM Modi flag off the first train to Kashmir. We are very excited to see him for the first time,” said a student to ANI, echoing the sentiments of many present at the event.
Another student shared, “My entire school is here. The last time he came, I missed seeing him, but today I am thrilled that I will finally get the chance. I hope to visit Srinagar someday too.”
The 272-km USBRL project, a major infrastructural milestone built at a cost of ₹43,780 crore, features 36 tunnels totaling 119 km and 943 bridges. The Vande Bharat Express will drastically reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just about three hours.
In addition to launching the Vande Bharat trains, Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the Chenab Bridge—the world’s highest railway arch bridge at 359 meters above the river—and the Anji Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge. These engineering marvels are poised to revolutionize connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Later, the PM is set to dedicate the entire USBRL project to the nation and launch multiple development initiatives worth over ₹46,000 crore.
The new Vande Bharat services between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar promise faster, comfortable, and all-weather rail connectivity, significantly boosting tourism, pilgrimage travel, and economic integration in the region.
