PM Modi will inaugurate Kashmir’s Historic Rail Link to Delhi
Kashmir will achieve a significant milestone in connectivity as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the Srinagar-Jammu-Delhi rail link on June 6, 2025, from Katra in Jammu’s Udhampur district. This development marks the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, enabling all-weather rail access between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.
A security personnel was seen stationed near the Vande Bharat train bound for Kashmir at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Station in Katra, Reasi district, on June 5, 2025. The USBRL project, long in the making, will facilitate seamless travel and is expected to enhance spiritual tourism and economic opportunities in the region. The Prime Minister highlighted that the Vande Bharat trains operating between Katra and Srinagar will significantly boost these sectors.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that regular operations of the Vande Bharat Express between Katra and Srinagar will commence on June 7, 2025, with two pairs of trains running six days a week, excluding Tuesdays. One service, train 26401, will depart Katra at 8:10 a.m., arriving in Banihal at 9:58 a.m. and Srinagar at 11:08 a.m. The return service, train 26402, will leave Srinagar at 2:00 p.m., reach Banihal at 3:10 p.m., and arrive in Katra at 4:58 p.m. Vaishnaw also noted that a direct Srinagar-Delhi rail service is planned for September 2025, once platforms 5 and 6 at Jammu Railway Station are completed.
Following the rail link inauguration, Modi is scheduled to visit the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, around 11 a.m., and the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge. These engineering feats are integral to the USBRL project, ensuring reliable connectivity through challenging terrain.
Security has been heightened in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the event, reflecting the significance of this infrastructure milestone. The rail link is poised to transform regional mobility and foster socio-economic integration.