Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw of India recently visited Jammu and Kashmir and inspected the 'first station of India’ at Baramula. He also travelled in the train connecting Qazigund to Baramula on the railway line between Jammu and Baramula. The 338 km long line in Jammu and Kashmir will connect Kashmir to the rest of India, once fully functional. Currently sections of this line are functional, including 118 km long Banihal-Baramula line in Kashmir. He also stated that Vande Bharat Express will Kashmir valley once the line is fully functional. 


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Informing about the line, he said, the railway line connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country will be completed this year or early next year, as reported by PTI. Addressing a press conference at Nowgam railway station, he said the Udhampur-Banihal track, connecting Jammu with Srinagar, will be completed by December this year, or early next year.



With this, the Udhampur-Baramulla railway line in J and K will be completed. "There is a good progress on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line. The work on the Chenab and Anji bridges, and major tunnels is also going and there is a good progress. By the grace of God, the train will chug on this route in December this year or January-February next year," Vaishnaw said.


He said a specially designed "Vande Bharat" train is being developed for this line. "Everything like temperature, snow, has been kept in mind while manufacturing this special train. Once the railway line is opened, you will have the 'Vande Bharat' train in the middle of 2024," he said.


A video of him travelling in the train through the Baramula Railway Station was shared by the Union minister on Twitter. The post reads, "Inspected the ‘first station of India’ at Baramula. Purchased local products at ‘One Station One Product’ stall".


He also said a demand has been received for connecting three areas -- Sopore-Kupwara, Awantipora-Shopian, and Bijbehara-Pahalgam -- with the railway line, and the Railways will discuss it. "We will discuss this with J-K LG, and then with Union Home minister (Amit Shah) and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)," he added.