Vande Bharat crosses Chenab and Anji bridges at 100 km/h as speed limit is raised
The speed upgrade on the challenging 111-kilometre Himalayan section brings the Kashmir Valley closer to seamless rail connectivity.
A Vande Bharat Express has crossed the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River and India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge at 100 km/h, following a major upgrade to the speed limit on the line.
The high-speed run on Thursday, 1 October 2026, marked a significant milestone for the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project. Officials increased the maximum permissible speed on the 111-kilometre Katra-Banihal section of the line from 75 km/h to 100 km/h after completing safety tests.
"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," said Uchit Singhal, Northern Railway’s senior divisional commercial manager.
Singhal confirmed that the Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 26401/26404) set a new record by crossing both the Chenab Bridge and the Anji Bridge at the new maximum speed.
Raising the limits
Before the upgrade, train speeds on the route were heavily restricted. Trains were permitted to run at a maximum of 85 km/h on the section between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Sangaldan, and just 75 km/h on the stretch between Sangaldan and Banihal.
The Railway Ministry gave the green light for the 100 km/h limit in August 2026, after railway authorities complied with all safety guidelines. The speed increase is expected to make regional rail travel faster and more comfortable, cutting down travel times between Katra and Banihal.
Navigating the Himalayas
The Katra-Banihal section is the most complex part of the USBRL project. It cuts through the rugged terrain of the Pir Panjal and lower Himalayan ranges in the Jammu division.
Engineers had to contend with deep valleys, steep mountain slopes, major river crossings, and highly unstable geological formations. To overcome these challenges, the 111-kilometre line relies on 33 tunnels and several high-level bridges.
Among these is the Chenab Bridge, located near Reasi, which is the highest railway bridge in the world. The section also features the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express on 6 June 2025. This latest speed upgrade brings the project closer to its ultimate goal of providing seamless, all-weather rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New maximum speed limit | 100 km/h | Uchit Singhal, Northern Railway |
| Katra-Banihal section length | 111 km | Northern Railway |
| Number of tunnels on the section | 33 | Northern Railway |
| Previous speed limit on Sangaldan-Banihal | 75 km/h | Northern Railway |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Chenab Bridge | The world's highest railway bridge, crossed by the train at 100 km/h. |
| Anji Khad Bridge | India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, crossed at 100 km/h. |
| Vande Bharat Express | The high-speed train that completed the record-breaking run. |
