Srinagar: Jammu and Srinagar will soon be closer as the travel time between them will be merely three hours and ten minutes. With the commencement of the final safety inspection of the 111 km long Banihal-Katra section in the newly constructed Jammu division, rail commuters can expect a world-class travel experience on this route from later this year. Jammu station is being redeveloped to include eight platforms and modern amenities. However, an eight-coach Jammu Srinagar Vande Bharat Express between Katra and Srinagar will start running soon. This transformation will end the long wait for train connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu. The completion of the Banihal-Katra section is an engineering marvel, with 97 km of the length being tunnelled and 7 km covered by four main bridges.

The toughest challenge in the project was to provide foundation support for the world's highest arch bridge, which is 359 metres high on the Chenab River. This was achieved through the rock bolting method, using 30,000 tonnes of steel. Another significant challenge was constructing India’s first cable-stayed bridge on the Anji River. The other main bridges on the section are the Reasi Bridge and Bakkal Bridges.

While executing the project, railway engineers innovated the technique of Himalayan tunnelling over conventional tunnelling methods to overcome safety concerns and strengthen both the main and 67 km of escape tunnels. The tunnels have a completely ballast-less track similar to metro tracks, with no joints. The longest tunnel in this section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link (USBRL) project, T50, is 12.77 km long. Cameras are placed every 50 metres in the tunnels to monitor safety and operational data. These cameras are connected to a state-of-the-art central control room. The Railways has also built 215 km of roads in the region to access the project sites, which is benefiting local people.

The Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat train is specially designed with anti-freezing features. The snow removal train, moving ahead of passenger and freight trains, will ensure that trains on this strategic route run all year round, day and night, providing all-weather connectivity between the regions. To offer passengers a comfortable and safe travel experience, the Railways has used anti-vibration seismic devices in the project, as this region falls in Zone-V earthquake vulnerability. These dampers will absorb tremors in the Himalayan terrain, maintaining faster and safer travel for commuters.

The Vande Bharat Express running in Kashmir is different from the Vande Bharat Express operating across the country. It is specially designed to function smoothly in extreme cold conditions, as low as -20°C. To ensure comfort for passengers and drivers, the train is equipped with advanced heating systems. The driver’s cabin features a heated windshield to prevent it from fogging or freezing, ensuring clear visibility in extreme temperatures. Additionally, the train has heating elements in the plumbing and bio-toilets to prevent water from freezing, ensuring that essential systems continue to function during cold weather.

BI Bureau