Inaugural Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat: A New Era in Connectivity

Railway stations across the valley are undergoing final touches as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to inaugurate the Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express. This historic event marks the launch of the first train link between the valley and the rest of India, promising to transform connectivity in the region.

The ambitious project, boasting the world's tallest railway bridge over the Chenab and India's inaugural cable-stayed rail bridge at Anji, symbolizes engineering triumphs achieved over more than 30 years of planning and execution. Initiated in the 1970s, the project was officially green-lit in 1994, with substantial progress since 2002.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah voiced his anticipation, recalling hearing about the project since his youth. The 272-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project aims to strengthen regional trade and tourism, reducing travel time between Katra and Srinagar, and eradicating weather-induced transport disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies.)