CHENNAI: Rail passengers, tourists and pilgrims from Tamil Nadu will soon be able to make an affordable and seamless train journey to the picturesque valleys of Kashmir.
The Southern Railway is planning to introduce the Amrit Bharat Express that will connect either Kanniyakumari, the southernmost town of India, or Rameswaram, the tip of the Indian peninsula, to Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The new train service would run for a length of over 4,000 kilometres.
The Amrit Bharat rake has a high-speed push-pull configuration, equipped with engines at both ends, capable of reaching speeds of up to 130 kmph. It has been designed to offer Vande Bharat-like comfort for non-AC passengers.
This initiative comes as the 111-km Katra-Banihal section, the last leg of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, is set to be inaugurated next month.
At present, the only way for visitors from the state to reach Kashmir is either by road or by air.
Describing the proposal as an ambitious project of the Southern Railway, official sources revealed to TNIE, “At the policy level, the decision has been taken to provide a train link to Srinagar/Baramulla either from Kanniyakumari or Rameswaram. A Vande Bharat trial run from New Delhi to Srinagar was conducted recently and the line is likely to be thrown open for operation soon. The decision on introducing the AB Express from Kanniyakumari/Rameswaram to Srinagar will be finalised once the line is inaugurated.”
Green light for locos to run at 130 km/hr
The AB express will operate on heavily congested routes, improving interstate connectivity, particularly for migrant workers. The Southern Railway has been allocated two rakes of the Amrit Bharat train, with the first one likely to be introduced on the Shalimar route, while the second rake’s route is yet to be finalised.
In this backdrop, the Railway Board last month directed the transfer of four WAP-5 locomotives from Ghaziabad’s loco shed (Northern Railway) to the Royapuram electric loco shed. These locomotives, capable of operating at speeds of up to 160 kmph, have been cleared to run at 130 kmph, ensuring efficient and timely service.
Currently, the Himsagar Express operates from Kanniyakumari to Katra, covering a distance of 3,785 kilometres and serving pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi Temple.
The new 327-kilometre single railway line from Jammu Tawi to Baramulla, passing through Udhampur, Katra, Banihal, Qazigund and Srinagar, will provide direct rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley from the rest of the country.
Introduced in 2024, the Amrit Bharat Express consists of 22 coaches, including 12 sleeper coaches, eight general coaches and two luggage coaches. The prototype of the AB rake, which underwent 12 major upgrades, was unveiled by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in January this year at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
Key enhancements include semi-automatic couplers, modular toilets, ergonomic seats and berths, emergency talk-back systems and a continuous lighting system similar to that of Vande Bharat trains.
Additionally, the train features advanced pantry car designs, technology-based water level indicators and external emergency lights to ensure passenger safety and comfort during emergencies such as derailments or accidents.