Vande Bharat crosses Chenab, Anji bridges at 100 kmph as Katra-Banihal train speed limit raised

A view of Vande Bharat train passing through Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, in Reasi. File

A Vande Bharat Express crossed the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab River and India's first cable-stayed railway bridge at Anji at 100 kmph, as the maximum permissible speed on the 111-km-long Katra-Banihal broad-gauge rail section was raised to 100 kmph, officials said.

The speed enhancement on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal section under the Jammu division of Northern Railway was successfully tested on Thursday (October 1, 2026) , marking a significant operational milestone for the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project.

"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.

He said the Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 26401/26404) created a new record by crossing both the world's highest Chenab Bridge and India's first cable-stayed Anji Bridge at 100 kmph.

The 111-km Katra-Banihal section is a crucial and technically challenging component of the USBRL project, which is aimed at providing seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.

The Railway Ministry approved the enhancement in the maximum permissible speed to 100 kmph after all prescribed safety conditions were complied with by the Railways in August this year, officials said.

Earlier, trains were permitted to operate at a maximum speed of 85 kmph on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Sangaldan section and 75 kmph on the Sangaldan-Banihal section.

The increase in the permissible speed is expected to make train operations on the USBRL project smoother, reduce travel time and provide faster, safer and more comfortable journeys to passengers.

With the enhancement, travel time between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal is also expected to come down, providing faster and more comfortable rail connectivity in the region.

The Katra-Banihal section traverses some of the most difficult and rugged terrain of the Pir Panjal and lower Himalayan ranges, involving deep valleys, steep mountain slopes, major rivers and highly complex geological formations.

The construction of the line has therefore required extensive use of advanced engineering techniques, including long tunnels, high-level bridges and sophisticated railway infrastructure, officials said.

The section has some of the country's most prestigious and challenging engineering structures, including the Chenab Railway Bridge, the world's highest railway bridge, constructed over the Chenab River near Reasi, and the Anji Khad Railway Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra on June 6, 2025.