Srinagar- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu’s Katra for the inauguration of the Kashmir valley rail link has been postponed due to bad weather forecasts, officials said on Wednesday. A new schedule for the event is expected soon.
The Special Protection Group informed Jammu and Kashmir authorities about the deferment, citing a predicted wet spell in the region on Friday and Saturday, according to people familiar with the development.
On Tuesday, a trial run of the Vande Bharat train was successfully conducted on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line, which now connects the Kashmir valley with the rest of India.
The long-delayed project, declared a national initiative in 2002, includes engineering marvels such as the world’s tallest railway bridge over the Chenab River and India’s longest rail tunnel. The newly customized Vande Bharat train is designed to handle sub-zero conditions with features like heated water tanks, anti-freeze systems, and a defrosting windshield for the driver.
Once operational, the train will reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar from nearly nine hours to just over three hours.
