Vande Bharat Achieves Historic Milestone by Crossing Chenab and Anji Bridges at 100 km/h
In a significant advancement for rail connectivity in Kashmir, the maximum speed on the 111-km Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal railway section has been increased from 75 kmph to 100 kmph. This change comes more than a year after the section was inaugurated in June 2025, completing an all-weather railway link between Kashmir and the rest of India. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the new speed was successfully tested today, with the Vande Bharat Express achieving the milestone while traversing the Chenab Bridge and the Anji Bridge.
USBRL: About the project
The upgrade is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which aims to enhance train services, reduce travel times, and provide a safer and more comfortable experience for passengers. The USBRL project, spanning 272 kilometers, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore and is considered a major engineering achievement, overcoming the challenges posed by the Himalayan landscape.
The railway network includes 36 tunnels totaling 119 kilometers and 943 bridges, connecting various mountain passes and valleys. This project has integrated previously isolated regions of Kashmir into the Indian Railways network, improving connectivity and fostering trade and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Special Vande Bharat Express for Kashmir
A specially designed Vande Bharat Express service has been launched between Katra and Srinagar to optimize the new rail connection. Unlike standard models, this train is equipped to operate in extreme winter conditions, functioning even when temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Passenger comfort is prioritized with features such as heated windshields, advanced heating systems, and insulated toilets. Additionally, seismic dampers have been installed to reduce vibrations and enhance safety in this earthquake-prone region.
Chenab Bridge & Anji Bridge
The Chenab Rail Bridge, standing 359 meters above the riverbed, is the world’s highest railway arch bridge, surpassing the height of the Eiffel Tower by 35 meters. This 1,315-meter-long structure is crucial to the USBRL project and is engineered to withstand extreme weather and challenging terrain, with the capacity to endure wind speeds of up to 260 kilometers per hour and a service life of 120 years.
The project also includes the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, which spans the Anji River valley. Located approximately 80 kilometers from Jammu city, this 725-meter-long bridge rises 331 meters above the riverbed, supported by 96 high-tensile cables.
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