PM Modi Flags Off First Vande Bharat Express to Kashmir, Inaugurates World’s Highest Rail Bridge

Srinagar (The Uttam Hindu): Today marks a historic moment as the first-ever Vande Bharat Express is set to connect Kashmir with the rest of India, kicking off from Katra station. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on hand to flag off the train and inaugurate two remarkable engineering feats: the world’s highest railway arch bridge, the Chenab Bridge, and India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, the Anji Bridge.

Around noon, PM Modi will officially launch the Vande Bharat Express. He’ll also lay the foundation stone for and inaugurate development projects totaling over ₹46,000 crore, followed by addressing a public gathering at Katra Stadium.

Starting June 7, Northern Railway will operate the Vande Bharat train service between Katra and Srinagar. You can book your tickets on the IRCTC website, with two trains running six days a week. This new service will cut down travel time to just 3 hours, a significant improvement from the previous 8–10 hours by road.

Train timings:

First train: Leaves Katra at 8:10 AM, arrives in Srinagar at 11:10 AM. It returns at 2:00 PM, reaching Katra at 5:05 PM (Note: No service on Tuesdays).

Second train: Departs Katra at 2:55 PM, arrives in Srinagar at 6:00 PM. It returns the next day at 8:00 AM, arriving in Katra at 11:05 AM (Note: No service on Wednesdays).