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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to officially inaugurate the final stretch of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) on April 19, a major milestone in India’s railway history. The newly completed Katra-Sangaldan segment, part of the 272-kilometre-long USBRL project, features the world’s highest railway arch bridge — the iconic Chenab Bridge.
This launch will mark the completion of a decades-long dream to link New Delhi and Kashmir by rail, promising major improvements in tourism, transport, and economic opportunities for the region.
A proud moment for locals near the Chenab Bridge
Residents of nearby villages, especially in Bakkal, which lies close to the Chenab Bridge, are thrilled by the development. One resident shared their excitement over the upcoming inauguration and the jobs the project has already created.
“This bridge is in our vicinity. On April 19, PM Modi will inaugurate this bridge. We are so happy; everyone in the village is so happy. The construction of this bridge generated a lot of employment opportunities, and even after the inauguration, we will get employment opportunities,” the resident said.
The Chenab Bridge — now officially the highest railway bridge in the world — stands tall as a symbol of both engineering excellence and national pride.
Railway official highlights the importance of the USBRL project
Earlier this month, on April 10, Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity for the Railway Board, spoke to ANI about the significance of the entire 272-kilometre USBRL project, which has been under construction for years.
“It has been the dream of every Indian to have a train running to Kashmir. For this, we have made long preparations, and now this USBRL section is ready. There is a 119-kilometre tunnel in this 272-kilometre section. This entire area is very important from the religious, tourism and connectivity point of view of Kashmir,” Kumar said.
He added that the railway line isn’t just about transportation — it’s expected to open up new doors for religious pilgrims, tourists, and local businesses, giving the Kashmir region a major boost in visibility and accessibility.
Two new Vande Bharat trains to begin service on launch day
To mark the start of operations on this crucial route, the Indian Railways will flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains on the day of the inauguration.
“On the date of commencement of the project, we have planned to run two Vande Bharat Express trains. One Vande Bharat Express train will run from Srinagar, and the other will run from Katra to Srinagar,” Kumar said.
These modern, semi-high-speed trains are expected to cut travel time and provide a comfortable, fast connection for people traveling to and from the valley.
Vande Bharat successfully tested on route with record-breaking bridges
Earlier this year, on January 23, Indian Railways conducted a successful trial run of the first Vande Bharat train on this route. The train traveled from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) station to Srinagar, passing over two groundbreaking bridges:
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The Anji Khad Bridge, which is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, and
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The Chenab Bridge, the world’s tallest railway bridge.
Special care was taken to ensure the train is built to handle the cold weather conditions of the Kashmir Valley, making it ideal for year-round travel in the region.
