Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the much-anticipated Vande Bharat Express train service from Katra to Baramulla on 6 June, officials confirmed.
Prime Minister Sh. @narendramodi set to inaugurate Katra-Srinagar train service in first week of June. pic.twitter.com/HQPadnbycx
— BJP Jammu & Kashmir (@BJP4JnK) June 1, 2025
This will be the first semi-high-speed train to operate in the Kashmir Valley, marking a historic milestone in Indian Railways’ expansion through the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL).
Boost Ahead Of Amarnath Yatra
Bad weather delayed the initial launch of the train service scheduled for 19 April, but officials have now set the new commencement date just weeks before the Amarnath Yatra begins on 3 July.
The Vande Bharat Express will ease travel for pilgrims by bypassing frequent disruptions caused by landslides and road closures along the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
PM Modi will flag off the train from Katra and also virtually launch the reverse service from Baramulla.
He will address a rally at Katra Stadium and visit two engineering landmarks – the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, and the Anji Khad cable-stayed rail bridge in Reasi district, India’s first of its kind.
The initial service will run between Katra and Baramulla.
Once ongoing expansion works at Jammu Railway Station, including the addition of platforms, are completed, the train is expected to operate from Jammu to Baramulla by August or September 2025.
At present, there will be no direct train from Delhi or other cities to Kashmir.
Travellers will have to change trains at Katra, a practice that will shift to Jammu once infrastructure upgrades are in place.
Strengthened Security & Trial Runs
Security agencies significantly enhanced surveillance along the railway route after the Pahalgam terror attack, conducting fresh audits and deploying additional personnel.
The Indian Army transported troops along the same rail corridor during ‘Operation Sindoor’, highlighting its strategic importance.
Indian Railways operationalised 209 km of the total 272 km USBRL project in phases since 2009.
Engineers completed the final 17-km stretch between Reasi and Katra earlier this year, which enabled successful trial runs of the Vande Bharat Express, including electric train tests in January.
Estimated at ₹41,000 crore, the USBRL project is one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure ventures.
The new train service, the third Vande Bharat in the region, is expected to revolutionise horticulture, trade, tourism, and education, fulfilling a seven-decade dream of fully integrating Kashmir with India’s railway network.
With this launch, the long-envisioned dream of a Kashmir-to-Kanyakumari rail corridor moves closer to reality.
PM Modi’s initiative marks a major step in bolstering economic integration and national connectivity for Jammu and Kashmir.
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