Indian Railways has raised the maximum permissible speed on the 111-km Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link from 75 kmph to 100 kmph, after Vande Bharat Express trains successfully completed trials across the Chenab and Anji bridges at the higher speed.
The trial was conducted with Vande Bharat Express trains 26401 and 26404. During the run, the trains crossed the Chenab Rail Bridge, described as the world’s highest railway arch bridge, and the Anji Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, at 100 kmph.
The speed enhancement follows the Railways’ clearance of the section after it met the required safety parameters. Earlier, the maximum permissible speed was 85 kmph between Katra and Sangaldan and 75 kmph between Sangaldan and Banihal. The revised limit standardises the maximum permissible speed for the 111-km Katra-Banihal section at 100 kmph, according to the report.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video of the trial on X and called the development a historic milestone. The successful run demonstrates the operational use of two of the USBRL project’s most technically significant structures while the railway link continues to connect the Jammu region with the Kashmir Valley.
The Chenab Rail Bridge stands 359 metres above the riverbed and spans 1,315 metres. The Anji Bridge rises 331 metres above the riverbed and stretches 725 metres across the valley. Their inclusion in the trial run places the bridges at the centre of the latest operational milestone, rather than treating them only as construction achievements.
The Katra-Banihal section is a crucial part of the rail connection between the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley. The increase in permissible speed is expected to improve operational efficiency, reduce travel time and provide a faster and more comfortable journey for passengers using the route. The development also marks a shift from construction and engineering milestones towards the performance of the completed railway infrastructure in regular operations.
The higher speed limit will apply after the Railways’ safety clearance for the section. The latest trial involved the Vande Bharat trains crossing both landmark bridges at 100 kmph, with the revised operating parameters now forming the next stage of the USBRL corridor’s development.
