After the adverse weather forecasts led to the postponement of the original plan, a fresh schedule is expected to be announced for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir to inaugurate the landmark Kashmir rail link. The India Meteorological Department said heavy rain was predicted in the region on Friday-Saturday, and the Special Protection Group (SPG) advised deferment of visit, scheduled to take place on Saturday, to Katra in Jammu, where Modi was to inaugurate the project.
It also issued a formal communique to the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary and other senior officials in one line that the programme had been postponed. This inauguration was to symbolize a momentous occasion when the Kashmir valley would be connected to the rest of India through a flawless railway network.
On Tuesday, the specially designed Vande Bharat Express underwent a successful trial run on the (272-kilometre) Udhampur‐Srinagar‐Baramulla railway corridor that goes through the difficult Pir Panjal mountain range. State-of-the-art heating systems, anti-freezing technology and safety sensors as well as for the region’s sub-zero temperatures, the train is equipped.
India’s most ambitious infrastructure project is the Udhampur-Srinagar railway line, the 38 tunnels of which contain the world’s tallest railway bridge over the Chenab River, which is 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. The country’s longest railway tunnel, 12.75 km long, uses ballastless tracks to provide stability on difficult terrain, is included in the project.
The Vande Bharat Express will reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar from 8 to 9 hours to just 3 hours 10 minutes when up and running. A significant achievement for upgrading regional connectivity and development in Jammu and Kashmir, this is the first project conceptualized in 1983 and declared a national priority in 2002.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News