India Opens Railway to the Kashmir Valley

India officially launched the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla railway line, connecting the Kashmir Valley to the national Indian Railways network, 30 years after the project was first approved. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

On June 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two Vande Bharat electric trains, highlighting the route’s importance for integrating northern regions of India.

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The line features a record-breaking arch bridge over the Chenab River, standing 359 meters tall and stretching 1,315 meters long. The structure is designed to withstand 8-magnitude earthquakes and winds of up to 74 m/s.

Originally estimated at $303 million, the project’s final cost reached $5.3 billion. It includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, making it one of the most complex railway engineering efforts in the country.

India Improves Transport Connectivity with Kashmir

Travel time between Katra and Srinagar is now just 3 hours—nearly twice as fast as by bus—providing residents with more efficient access to other parts of the country.

In addition, a cable-stayed bridge was built over the Anji River, a tributary of the Chenab, along with India’s longest railway tunnel, stretching 12.77 km in the Ramban district—an impressive engineering achievement.

This project strengthens economic and social ties between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India, enhancing regional resilience and improving quality of life for local communities.

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