The Railway Board has taken a significant step towards connecting Kashmir to the rest of India by allocating eight coaches for a Vande Bharat Express train to run along the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). This move suggests that the Central government may officially announce the opening of the Vande Bharat service before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
With the electrification of the entire USBRL line and the final stages of construction on some tunnels nearing completion, there is a strong push to inaugurate the link before the elections. The Northern Railway’s successful trial run of an electric train on a 15-km stretch between Banihal and Khari in Ramban district further bolsters this possibility.
Earlier, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had confirmed that the USBRL would be operational by early 2024. He also revealed plans to run both Vande Bharat trains and Vande Metro trains on the route, which would significantly reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar to just 3.5 hours. Currently, the journey by road takes about seven hours.
The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express service to Kashmir will mark a major milestone in improving connectivity and accessibility to the region. It will not only facilitate faster and more comfortable travel for tourists and locals but also boost economic development and tourism in the state.
