PM Modi to slip the train to cashmere on April 19 – Cachemire Observer

Srinagar- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will postpone the first train from Katra to Cashmere on April 19, realizing the dream of more than 70 years of rail connectivity in Valley, information announced on Thursday.

The train will head for the city of Katra in the district of Rasi and cross the Pir Panjal mountain range to reach Srinagar, then its final destination in Baramulla, in northern cashmere.

Prime Minister Modi will decperly the Katra train in the presence of the Minister of Railways Ashwini Vahnaw, the Minister of State of the Union, Dr. Jitetra Singh, Jammu-et-Lieutenant-Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Manoj Sinha and chief Minister Omar Abdullah, reported the Ians press agency.

Currently, the train operates from Sangaldan to Baramulla. The Prime Minister is expected to land at Udhampur army airport from New Delhi on the morning of April 19, and then go to the highest railway bridge in the Chenab river in the Rasi district.

PM Modi will be informed of the construction of the bridge, which is considered an engineering marvel, added the report.

The Prime Minister will then reach the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi, Katra, from where he will denounce the Vande Bharat train to the valley.

The PM Modi will address a public rally in Katra before returning to Delhi in the afternoon.

Railway managers said after completing the expansion work at Jammu station, including an increase in the number of platforms, the Valley train will launch Jammu operations, scheduled for this year, said the report.

There will be no direct Delhi train or any other part in cashmere. Passengers will have to land in Katra and change the train. Later, the same process will go to Jammu, officials said.

Several trials of the Katra train in Baramulla, notably that of Vande Bharat Express, have been successful and the security problems were also resolved.

Of the total of 272 km from the EDUMMPUR-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209 kms were ordered in phases with the first phase of the 118 km Qazigud-Babaramulla commanded in October 2009, followed by the Banihal-Qazigund link 18 km in June 2013. Banihal-Sangaldan section in February.

The work on the 46 km Sanggaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June of last year, leaving a 17 km section between Rasi and Katra which was also completed almost three months ago, which led to the start of different train tests, including that of Vande Bharat.

The project involved an expense of RS 41,000 crores.

On January 4, a successful test of an electrical train was carried out on the Katra-Banihal section.

Test series in recent months in various track segments, including the two major stages of Anji Khad and Chenab bridges, have been carried out.

The Vande Bharat Express train between Katra and Srinagar has been specially designed with anti-component characteristics.

Made by CHENNAI Full Coach Factory (ICF), this new Vande Bharat train can work smoothly in extremely cold conditions as low as less 20 degrees Celsius. To ensure the comfort of passengers and drivers, the train is equipped with advanced heating systems.

Train safety characteristics include video surveillance cameras and emergency speech units.

The train has waterproof windows and the driver's windshield is equipped with a special anti-Gro system that allows a clear field of vision.

The train for cashmere will give a boost to tourism, horticulture, agriculture, industries, education and average cashmere, which can now forget its fears concerning the strategic road of Jammu-Srinagar because of rain and snowfall.

The train will provide uninterrupted all -time connectivity and the transport of goods to and from the valley will become much cheaper in the coming days.

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