Jammu-Kashmir train aims to tackle sub-zero temp

The tailor-made Vande Bharat Express, which will be the first ever train to link Jammu with Kashmir, is ready and has been brought to Delhi, said officials aware of the matter.

Advertisment

The train, being maintained by the Northern Railway in Shakur Basti in north Delhi, is built to operate even in sub-zero temperatures, with a raft of advanced heating systems baked in to keep passengers comfortable and keep the locomotive from freezing, said the people cited above.

Railway officials aware of the matter said Prime Minister Narendra Modi may inaugurate the crucial link towards the end of the month.

This new train service is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar- Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), a pioneering project aimed at improving the rail connectivity in the region.

The route features the Chenab Rail Bridge, which is the world’s highest rail bridge, constructed 359m above the Chenab river. It was inaugurated in August 2022.

The train sets were built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and were brought to Delhiin the last week of December. They will remain in the Capital till they are shifted to Jammu division around next week.