The Vande Bharat Express operated at 100 kmph across the iconic Chenab Rail Bridge for the first time. This milestone follows approval from rail authorities permitting higher operational speeds across the newly constructed 111-kilometer broad gauge line connecting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal. Permissible speeds previously ranged between 75 kmph and 85 kmph along various stretches of the route. Upgraded speed parameters across the section will significantly reduce travel times and strengthen regional connectivity.
The semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express reached a speed of nearly 100 kmph across the Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, establishing a technical benchmark for rail transit infrastructure in the region. Senior railway officials confirmed that the Ministry of Railways sanctioned the increased operational limits following comprehensive safety evaluations along the newly developed Katra-Banihal rail corridor.
The enhanced speed parameter applies to the entire 111-kilometer broad gauge section between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal under the Northern Railway’s Jammu Division. Operational limits were previously capped at 85 kmph along the Katra-Sangaldan stretch and 75 kmph between Sangaldan and Banihal. Raising the permissible speed limit across the line directly reduces overall transit times and enhances schedule efficiency between the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley.
The Chenab Rail Bridge stands 359 meters above the riverbed—surpassing the height of the Eiffel Tower by 35 meters—and spans a total length of 1,315 meters. Designed as a steel-and-concrete arch structure engineered to withstand high wind speeds and intense seismic activity, the bridge serves as a critical structural component of the broader Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
Railway officials emphasized that speed enhancements across this complex Himalayan terrain support broader economic integration, trade logistics, and regional tourism. The broader rail corridor incorporates 33 tunnels alongside advanced structural engineering projects engineered to guarantee reliable year-round transit through challenging mountain landscapes.
