Farooq Abdullah Gets Emotional on Inaugural Kashmir-Katra Vande Bharat Train, Says ‘Decades-Old Dream Fulfilled’
Srinagar/Katra, Jammu & Kashmir – June 10, 2025 – National Conference president and former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, was visibly emotional during his first Vande Bharat train journey from Srinagar to Katra today. Tears welled up in his eyes as he described the new rail connectivity as the fulfillment of a dream to integrate Kashmir with the rest of the country, a dream he had awaited for decades.
Following its flagging off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, Vande Bharat train operations have commenced between Katra and Srinagar, completing the ambitious 272-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL). This project connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India and includes the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge.
Farooq Abdullah boarded the train from Naugram Railway Station in Srinagar on Tuesday morning and was warmly received at Katra Railway Station by Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu, Surinder Choudhary, and National Conference Provincial President Ratan Lal Gupta, among other dignitaries.
Speaking to reporters after disembarking from the train, an emotional Abdullah said, “Today I am very happy to see my dream come true, for which I had waited for many years.” He added, “I cannot express how overwhelmed my heart is with joy that my eyes are filled with tears seeing the day I had waited for decades has arrived.”
He extended heartfelt congratulations to the engineers, staff, and railway personnel for making this project possible. Abdullah emphasized that this train service would not only ease travel but also boost trade, tourism, and strengthen ‘love and friendship’ between the two regions of Jammu & Kashmir. He also expressed hope that a large number of pilgrims would use this train during the Amarnath Yatra, improving accessibility and safety for devotees.
This rail link provides a much-needed alternative to the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which often becomes unreliable due to landslides and weather-related disruptions. Abdullah noted, “The road often gets closed, and at such times, airfares increase. This train will save people from those difficulties.”
This historic rail link is expected to be a game-changer not only for facilitating transport but also for the economic development of Jammu & Kashmir, particularly in the tourism and horticulture sectors.