Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first train from Katra to the valley on April 19, fulfilling the 70-year-old dream of rail connectivity to Kashmir.
The train will run from Katra town in Reasi district and cross the Pir Panjal mountain range to Srinagar and then reach its final destination in Baramulla in North Kashmir.
Prime Minister Modi will flag off the train from Katra in the presence of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Currently the train runs from Sangaldan to Baramulla. The Prime Minister will land at Udhampur Army Airport from New Delhi on the morning of April 19 and then fly to the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab river in Reasi district.
Prime Minister Modi will be briefed about the construction of the bridge, which is considered a marvel of engineering. The Prime Minister will then reach Mata Vaishno Devi Base Camp Katra, from where he will flag off the Vande Bharat train for the valley. The Prime Minister will address a public rally in Katra before returning to Delhi in the afternoon.