While the countdown for the inauguration for the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express train has begun, talks of connecting the train to New Delhi have already begun. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the much-awaited Kashmir's first Vande Bharat Train i.e. Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express on April 19, 2025. Notably, in the second phase, the Vande Bharat Train will run from New Delhi to Srinagar. Yes! you heard it right. New Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express train is soon going to be a reality and that too this year. However, tha train will not go directly to Srinagar and just like flights they have to change the train on a particular railway station. Below is all about New Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Train-
New Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Train
A report quoted a senior Northern Railway official who informed that a single ticket will be issued for the New Delhi–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express. However, passengers will undergo a security check and train change at Katra, which may take 2–3 hours. A special security lounge is being constructed outside the station for this purpose.
On reaching Katra, the passengers will be directed outside the station to the lounge, where they will undergo ID verification, baggage scanning, and security screening. For this, 3 to 6 scanners will be installed, and additional security forces will be deployed to ensure safety. After the completion of the security checks, passengers will re-enter Platform number 1, from where the Srinagar-bound Vande Bharat train will depart.
Due to the security checks and protocols, there will be a 3 to 4-hour gap in the train schedules. The same process will be followed for passengers traveling from Srinagar to New Delhi. The train is expected to launched by September this year.
New facilities in Kashmir's Vande Bharat Express
The Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat train has been specially designed with anti-freezing features to withstand extreme temperatures. A snow-clearing engine will precede the train in snowy conditions, ensuring year-round connectivity on this crucial route.
The heating system installed in the train will prevent water tanks and bio-toilets from freezing. The driver's windshield and air brakes will work even in minus temperatures. This will ensure all-weather connectivity between the two areas. The railways have used vibration-resistant seismic equipment in this project, as the area falls in Zone-V in terms of earthquakes.