Jammu, August 20: In a major milestone for railway connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, the Vande Bharat Express has, for the first time, operated at nearly 100 kmph while crossing the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, officials said on Thursday. The development follows the Railway Ministry’s approval to raise the maximum permissible speed on the Katra-Banihal rail section to 100 kmph.
The Chenab Rail Bridge, located in Reasi district, is a key engineering structure on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) and has emerged as one of the most prominent symbols of India’s railway infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal, said the Vande Bharat train achieved the speed of nearly 100 kmph on the bridge after the revised speed limit was approved for the Katra-Banihal section. The move is expected to reduce travel time and further strengthen rail connectivity between the Jammu region and Kashmir Valley.
The 111-kilometre Katra-Banihal railway section forms an important part of the USBRL project, which has provided an all-weather rail link between different parts of Jammu and Kashmir. With the increase in the permissible speed, passengers are expected to benefit from faster and more efficient train services along the route.
Before the latest revision, trains were permitted to operate at a maximum speed of 85 kmph on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Sangaldan section and 75 kmph on the Sangaldan-Banihal section. The new permissible speed of 100 kmph represents a significant improvement in operational capability on the route.
The Chenab Rail Bridge stands approximately 359 metres above the Chenab River and is recognised as the world’s highest railway arch bridge. The 1,315-metre-long structure is a major component of the USBRL project and was designed to withstand the challenging terrain and extreme weather conditions of the Himalayan region.
The successful operation of Vande Bharat at nearly 100 kmph across the bridge is being viewed as another important achievement for Indian Railways. It demonstrates the operational readiness of the railway infrastructure constructed across some of the most difficult mountainous terrain in the country.
The speed enhancement is also expected to support tourism and economic activity in Jammu and Kashmir by making rail travel between Jammu, Katra and the Kashmir Valley quicker and more convenient. The Vande Bharat service has already become an important part of the region’s modern transport network.
The development comes after the expansion of Vande Bharat services connecting Jammu and Kashmir. The Srinagar-Katra service was subsequently extended to Jammu Tawi, providing passengers with direct high-speed rail connectivity across the Jammu-Kashmir corridor.
With Vande Bharat now achieving nearly 100 kmph on the world’s highest railway bridge, the latest milestone highlights the growing capabilities of the Jammu and Kashmir railway network and marks another significant step towards faster and stronger connectivity across the Union Territory.
