Kashmir Vande Bharat has anti-freeze features
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 19: In a rare feat, Northern Railway today made history by successfully conducting a trial run of an 18-bogie train between Katra and Budgam Railway Stations.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
As the train chugged into main station in Kashmir -Budgam Railway Station on the outskirts of Srinagar- around noon, it marked the first successful trial run on the newly completed rail line to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country. This made history, as the train to Kashmir is now ready for the likely flag off next week.
Northern Railway spokesman, Deepak Kumar, told Excelsior that the trial run was successfully conducted between Katra and Budgam Railway Stations.
Click here to watch video
“The 18-bogey train chugged at 8 am today from Katra Railway Station and it took the train four hours to reach Budgam Railway Station,” he said.
“The train reached a maximum speed of 85 kilometres per hour between Katra and Sangaldan; 75 kilometres per hour between Sangaldan and Qazigund and 85 kilometres per hour between Qazigund and Budgam,” he added.
He said that during the trial run, the drivers had a hands-on feel of speed of the train and vibration of the track. “They checked the track, tunnels, lights etc along the route during the running of the train on the new rail line,” he added.
This was the first trial run between Katra and Budgam, and came within six days after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Northern Circle) Dinesh Chand Deshwal authorised the opening of the newly constructed Broad-Gauge line.
Deshwal had given the authorisation for the start of public carriage of goods and passenger traffic in a letter to the Railway Ministry, based on his detailed inspection of the track on January 7 and 8.
He had then authorised regular opening of the section for passengers and freight traffic at a maximum permissible speed of 85 kilometre per hour on the main line and 15 kilometre per hour on turnout.
The work on the prestigious project to link Kashmir by train was started in 1997 and it missed several deadlines given geological, topographical and meteorological challenges.
Out of the total 272 kilometre, Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209 kilometre was commissioned in phases with the first phase of the 118-kilometre Qazigund-Baramulla section commissioned in October 2009, followed by 18-kilometre Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013, 25-kilometre Udhampur-Katra in July 2014 and 48.1-kilometre long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch in February, last year.
The work on the 46- kilometre Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June last year, leaving a total of 17 kilometre stretch between Reasi and Katra.
The Rs 41,000 crore project was completed last year in December.
On January 4, a successful trial run of an electric train was successfully conducted on the Katra-Banihal section. The railways have conducted six trials over the past month on various segments of the track, including the two major milestones of the Anji Khad and Chenab bridges.
In the meantime, Kashmir is all set to get a new specially designed Vande Bharat Express Train. This new semi-high-speed train will connect Katra and Srinagar. Currently, this new ultra-modern train is stationed at Delhi’s Shakur Basti depot. The new semi-high-speed train connecting Katra and Srinagar will be the third such train in J&K.
Katra to Srinagar Vande Bharat train is likely to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the date and time of the launch is still not clear.
The Vande Bharat Express Train between Katra and Srinagar has been specially designed with anti-freezing features. Manufactured by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF), this new Vande Bharat train can operate smoothly in extremely cold conditions, i.e. as low as -20 degrees Celsius. To ensure comfort for passengers and drivers, the train is equipped with advanced heating systems.
The driver’s cabin features a heated windshield to prevent it from fogging up or freezing, ensuring clear visibility in extreme temperatures. Further, the train has heating elements in the plumbing and bio-toilets to prevent water from freezing, ensuring that essential systems continue to function during cold weather.
The Vande Bharat train for Kashmir valley has several safety features including CCTV cameras, and Emergency Talk Back Unit, among others. The train is not equipped with bulletproof windows but does feature shatterproof windows.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
