On Saturday, specially designed Vande Bharat Express train arrived in at Srinagar station, completing its trial run and the long-awaited dream of connecting the region by rail after years of hard work, dedication, and engineering marvels. On its maiden trial run, the specially designed Vande Bharat Express arrived at Srinagar station from Katra in Jammu, after reaching Jammu on Friday.
Slogans and praises for the Indian Railways greeted the orange-and-grey-coloured Vande Bharat train as it reached the station at 11:30 am. Since morning, a large number of people and rail officials waited, many of them carrying garlands, to welcome those aboard the train. After a brief half at the station, the train moved to Budgam station to complete its trial run.
Northern Railway’s Chief Area Manager (Srinagar) Saqib Yousuf said the trial run’s completion marked a historic moment. “This is a historic step. It reflects the vision of our prime minister to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country,” he said. Yousuf said the trial was also to ascertain the time the train would take on various sections. He added, “The completion of the trial run is a result of the fast-paced hard work over the past 10 years that was put in to complete the line”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the train from Katra, as the commissioner of railway safety has given the green signal for running the service on the Katra-Baramulla section. Last month, the Railways completed 272 kilometres of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. The Railways completed 272 kilometres of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project last month. It includes advanced heating systems that prevent the freezing of water in pipes and bio-toilet tanks, provide warm air for the vacuum system and ensure optimal functioning of the air-brake system for smooth operations, even in sub-zero temperatures.
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