Steeling through the Mountains: Kashmir’s Rail Revolution

40 tunnels. 900 bridges. One record-shattering Chenab crossing. The story behind India’s most ambitious rail project.

- Jaya Varma Sinha

On a clear June day, draped in marigold flowers and national pride, the Vande Bharat Express began its maiden journey from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar.

Flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the moment marked more than the launch of a high-speed train. It was the culmination of a century-old dream—one forged in steel, vision, and unyielding resolve.

The rail unification of Kashmir with the rest of India is that resolve. It is evident on the happy faces of the people travelling on the train.

Train to Kashmir with an ultra modern travel experience runs on the solid foundation of our engineers. Cutting short the travel time, high speed Vande Bharat trains are running twice a day, six times a week from both sides. They are not only bringing much needed push for the local economic development in the valley but are also proving out to be a boon for the tourists from across the country.

The picturesque journey with ultra modern comforts in such a short time of three hours vis a vis road journey of six to seven hours has truly unified hilly Kashmir with the rest of India in all weathers for us.

For decades, Kashmir's story has been told through the lens of conflict and remoteness. It's heartening to see it being rewritten in the language of infrastructure - bridges, tunnels, and rail lines threading their way through the mountains.

Coming on the eve of 11 years of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's governance at the centre, the special trains and the connecting link are all set to change the destiny of locals in Kashmir.

In its 172-year history of service to the nation, Indian Railways has proudly crossed many important milestones. Generations of dedicated railway men and women have toiled to make connectivity and carriage a daily reality. But to paraphrase a line from an iconic Indian advertisement: Indian Railways doesn’t just build tracks—it also knits the fabric of national unity!