Srinagar: The Kashmir Vande Bharat train had a veteran traveler in National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on board on Tuesday, who saw the direct rail link as a step towards bridging ‘dil ke duri’ between Kashmir and the rest of the country.
Boarding at Srinagar’s Nowgam Station, tears welled up his eyes as the train passed through mountains and tunnels to cross the world’s tallest railway bridge over Chenab river in the Shavlik hills of Reasi district.
“This is the biggest gift to connect Jammu and Kashmir with the entire country,” said Abdullah. “I had tears in my eyes when I crossed the Chenab Bridge. Finally, the day has come when we can travel to the country from Kashmir by train. Kya technology hain (What technology!). I want to congratulate all the workers and engineers who built this bridge.”
#WATCH | Katra, J&K: " mata ne bulaya hai. aaya hai bulawa shera wali ka" says national conference chief farooq abdullah as he reaches shri mata vaishno devi katra railway station on the vande bharat train from nowgam railway station pic.twitter.com/jnyLQDqEtc
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2025
Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 41,000 crore, the rail traverses some of the world’s most challenging terrain including the Chenab Bridge, a stunning steel structure that rises 1,178 feet above the river — taller than the Eiffel Tower.
The train passes through over 100 kilometres of tunnels carved into the treacherous mountains.
The maiden Vande Bharat service was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on June 6.
The big-ticket project, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link spanning 272 kilometres, connects Kashmir to the rest of the country for the first time by rail.
“Our dream that one day J&K will be connected to the rest of the country is being fulfilled by this train,” said the former three-time J&K Chief Minister.
He hailed the contribution of Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the rail link.
“PM Modi completed this project. I want to thank the engineers and workers who worked behind the highest bridge in the world. Tourism will increase a lot after this," said Abdullah.
The National Conference president said that the train link will provide Kashmir fruit traders access to markets across the country. When the train reached the Katra Station, National Conference leaders and workers gathered to greet him with flower bouquets and slogans.
Abdullah said, “Mata ne bulaya hai. Aaya hai bulawa sherawali ka" drawing pro-religious slogans from the gathering.
He hoped people would come in large numbers in trains for Amarnath Yatra in the Himalayan mountains starting July 3.
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