Vande Bharat Extension to Jammu Put on Hold Hours After Announcement
25 Feb 2026 2:58 PM IST25 Feb 2026 2:58 PM IST
According to officials familiar with the matter, the sudden pause appears to stem from a combination of operational and logistical factors
Srinagar: The Railway Board has put on hold the proposed extension of the Vande Bharat Express from Katra to Jammu Tawi, hours after Northern Railways announced that the service would begin from March 1. Senior divisional commercial manager Uchit Singhal confirmed the development. “Due to some unavoidable circumstances, the notification programme of Vande Bharat’s extension from March 1 has been put on hold by the Railway Board till further advice,” he said, adding that further instructions would be shared once received.
Earlier in the evening, Northern Railways had announced that the Vande Bharat Express would be extended up to Jammu Tawi, enabling direct rail connectivity between Srinagar and Jammu.
Officials indicated that the proposed extension involved deployment of a 20-coach rake, replacing the existing eight-coach set operating between Srinagar and Katra. The longer rake requires additional safety clearances, crew preparedness and operational adjustments along the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) corridor.
Preparatory works at Jammu Tawi, including platform alignment, signalling integration and maintenance arrangements for the upgraded trainset, are understood to be in progress. Officials said passenger flow projections and timetable adjustments were also under review.
The Vande Bharat service between Srinagar and Katra was inaugurated on June 6, 2025, following completion of the USBRL project. The proposed extension to Jammu Tawi was expected to provide direct connectivity between the two capitals of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Railway Board has not announced a revised date. Officials said the extension remains a priority and that the pause is to ensure operational readiness and safety compliance before launch.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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