The Katra-Banihal rail section in Jammu and Kashmir has raised its maximum permissible train speed to 100 kmph, with a Vande Bharat Express completing a test run across the Chenab Railway Bridge and Anji Khad Railway Bridge at the new speed. The operational change marks a significant milestone for the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project.
The speed enhancement was carried out on the 111-km Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal section of Northern Railway’s Jammu division after prescribed safety conditions were completed, railway officials said. The earlier maximum permissible speed was 75 kmph across the full section, although different limits applied to separate parts of the route.
“The maximum permissible speed on the 111-km-long Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal section has been increased from 75 kmph to 100 kmph,” Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said, according to the Times of India report.
Vande Bharat Express Train No. 26401/26404 crossed the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River and India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge at Anji at 100 kmph during the test. The Railway Ministry approved the speed increase after the required safety checks were completed in August, officials said.
Before the change, trains could operate at up to 85 kmph on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Sangaldan section and 75 kmph on the Sangaldan-Banihal section. The revised limit is expected to reduce travel time between Katra and Banihal and support smoother train operations along the USBRL route.
The Katra-Banihal section is a crucial part of the railway project intended to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country by rail. The route passes through the Pir Panjal and lower Himalayan ranges, where the railway line crosses deep valleys, steep mountain slopes and major rivers while navigating complex geological formations.
Its infrastructure includes long tunnels, high-level bridges and specialised railway systems. The section has 33 tunnels, along with the Chenab Railway Bridge near Reasi and the Anji Khad Railway Bridge. The Chenab bridge is described as the world’s highest railway bridge, while the Anji structure is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
The speed milestone also places the focus on the operational challenge of running trains through one of India’s most technically demanding railway corridors. Raising the permissible speed required safety compliance across a route where infrastructure, terrain and train operations are closely linked.
The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express was flagged off from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra on June 6, 2025. The latest test run follows that service milestone and represents an operational enhancement on the wider USBRL network. Railway officials said the revised speed limit would improve the movement of trains on the Katra-Banihal section.
