National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah announced on Wednesday that the Katra-Sangaldan train service will likely face a two-month delay. The service is now expected to begin operations in April, aligning with the start of the tourism season.
Speaking to reporters at a party event in Jammu, Abdullah said, “I heard that the train (to Kashmir) will face a two-month delay due to some incomplete works. Those works are being attended to, and they will start the train in April with the onset of the tourism season.”
Abdullah, who was preparing to travel to Srinagar aboard the train on January 25, clarified the delay and expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved soon.
In December 2024, the Railway Ministry announced the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, which began in 1997 and aims to connect Kashmir to the rest of the country.
Recent trial runs on various sections, including the Katra-Srinagar track, were successfully conducted. Additionally, the statutory inspection by Commissioner of Railway Safety, Northern Circle, Dinesh Chand Deshwal, was completed in the past month, raising hopes for an earlier launch. However, due to pending work, the service will now begin in April.
