Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat launch this week: 36 tunnels, stunning bridges — What makes this train journey special?

Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat

The Indian Railways is all set to launch the eagerly-awaited Vande Bharat Express between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar on April 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first train from Katra in Jammu and Srinagar in Kashmir this week.

To begin with, a single train will operate on this route, which will enable travellers to cover the stretch in just over three hours. Currently, it takes around 6 to 7 hours.

PM Modi to flag off the first Jammu-Katra-Srinagar #VandeBharat Train on April 19 marking the completion of the 272 km-long #USBRL project. pic.twitter.com/vybefLyvKy
News IADN (@NewsIADN) March 31, 2025

On its route, the semi-high-speed train will traverse the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). Operated and maintained by the Northern Railway zone, the train will cover a route that is breathtakingly beautiful, with tunnels and bridges that pass through mountainous terrain.

The 272-km USBRL route is studded with 36 major tunnels that span nearly 119 km.

Tunnel T-50 (12.77 km): India’s longest transport tunnel, connecting Sumber and Khari, cuts through hard rock formations using the New Tunneling Method. It includes a parallel escape tunnel for emergencies and was constructed with the help of three access points (adits) to speed up excavation.

Tunnel T-80 (11.2 km): Located beneath the Pir Panjal range between Banihal and Qazigund, this tunnel ensures all-season connectivity to Kashmir, bypassing snow-clogged mountain passes.

Tunnel T-34 (5.099 km): Running between Pai-Khad and Anji Khad, this dual-tube tunnel connects to the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.

Tunnel T-33 (3.2 km): Constructed beneath the Trikuta Hills, it faced multiple geological challenges and was successfully completed using advanced I-System tunnelling techniques in 2023.

Tunnel T-23 (3.15 km) and Tunnel T-1 (3.209 km): These tunnels required high-precision interventions to navigate volatile rock conditions and high-water ingress.

Tunnel T-25 (3 km): Construction took six years due to the discovery of an underground water stream, pushing the limits of tunnel engineering.

Over the past two months, trial runs have been conducted on various sections of the USBRL, including across iconic structures like the Chenab and Anji Khad bridges.

The ambitious project to connect Kashmir by rail began in 1997 and has overcome a slew of geological, topographical, and weather-related challenges, missing several deadlines along the way.

One of the major engineering feats was the construction of the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge standing at 359 metres, which is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. The bridge’s foundation posed a massive challenge due to the earthquake-prone zone. Engineers used a rock bolting method and over 30,000 tonnes of steel to give it the structural strength to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8.

Another milestone was the construction of India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge over the Anji River.