The Vande Bharat Express has crossed the Chenab Bridge at 100 kmph for the first time after the Railways raised the maximum permissible speed on the strategically important Katra–Banihal section in Jammu and Kashmir.

The October 2 run also saw the train cross the Anji Khad Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, at the same speed. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the development as a historic operational milestone for the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link, or USBRL. 

The change is significant for Jammu Kashmir train connectivity because the 111-km mountain section contains some of the most technically demanding infrastructure on the network. The higher permissible speed is intended to improve operational efficiency and help reduce journey times while retaining the safety limits approved for the route. The New Indian Express

Vande Bharat Express and Chenab Bridge: What the 100 Kmph Milestone Means

The latest achievement followed a formal increase in the maximum permissible speed on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Banihal broad-gauge section. The earlier limit cited in the Railway Ministry's public announcement was 75 kmph. Following prescribed safety checks, the section was cleared for operations at up to 100 kmph. The Vande Bharat Express, identified as train numbers 26401/26404 during the successful test, then crossed the Chenab Bridge and the Anji structure at the revised limit. 

The distinction between maximum permissible speed and average journey speed is important. Raising the sectional limit to 100 kmph does not mean a train will travel at exactly that speed throughout the route. Curves, stations, signalling, gradients and other operational restrictions can require lower speeds at different points.

For example, current timetable information for train 26401 shows the service travelling from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar in roughly four hours and 50 minutes, giving it a much lower average speed over the full journey than its maximum permitted speed on individual sections. 

Why the 100 Kmph Run Is an Operational Milestone

The Katra–Banihal section runs through exceptionally difficult Himalayan terrain and forms a critical part of the wider USBRL project. The project was built to establish all-weather rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the national rail system. The entire USBRL stretches around 272 km and includes 36 tunnels spanning about 119 km and 943 bridges, according to government figures.  That makes a higher operating speed more than a headline number. Before a sectional speed can be increased, infrastructure, track, bridges and associated operational systems must satisfy the required safety parameters.

Indian Railways said the speed enhancement was successfully tested before the higher limit became the key operational benchmark for the section. Officials expect the change to support smoother running and faster passenger movement through the route. The New Indian Express

Minister of State for Railways V Somanna also indicated that the network could eventually support further speed improvements, although no new 130 kmph or 160 kmph operating limit has been approved for this section at present. Those higher figures should therefore be treated as longer-term ambitions rather than current operating speeds. 

How High Is the World's Highest Railway Arch Bridge?

The Chenab Bridge stands 359 metres above the riverbed in Reasi district, making it the world's highest railway arch bridge. The steel structure is 1,315 metres long and forms one of the most recognisable engineering components of the USBRL. Government technical information says it has a design life of 120 years and was engineered to withstand severe wind and seismic conditions. 

A September 25 PIB briefing provided another detail particularly relevant to the latest speed milestone: railway engineers said the structure itself had been engineered for train operations at 100 kmph. The bridge lies in Seismic Zone V and incorporates structural safeguards designed for the difficult geography of the Chenab gorge.  That means the latest run does not represent an experimental speed beyond the bridge's design parameters. Instead, it demonstrates that the operating section has now been cleared to use the capability for which the infrastructure was engineered.

Anji Khad Bridge Also Crossed at 100 Kmph

The same run produced another milestone at the Anji Khad Bridge, located on the Katra–Banihal section. The structure is India's first cable-stayed railway bridge. It extends roughly 725 metres across the valley, with its deck around 331 metres above the riverbed. Its distinctive inverted-Y pylon rises 193 metres from its foundation and is supported by 96 high-tensile cables.  The Anji Khad Bridge was developed because the geology of the gorge made a conventional arch solution difficult. It is designed for demanding Himalayan conditions, including seismic activity and strong winds.

Together, the two structures illustrate why raising speeds on this stretch involves more than simply allowing trains to accelerate. Track geometry, tunnels, bridge design, signalling and other infrastructure have to operate together within an approved safety envelope.

How the Kashmir Rail Link Changed After June 2025

The present milestone comes more than a year after the completion and dedication of the USBRL. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the two major bridges and dedicated the rail project on June 6, 2025. Passenger services on the new link transformed rail connectivity by completing the missing mountain section between the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley. 

Government estimates at the time said the new route could bring the Katra–Srinagar journey down to around three hours, reducing travel time by approximately two to three hours compared with earlier connectivity arrangements.  The rail network was expanded further on April 30, 2026, when Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off an extended 20-coach service connecting Jammu with Srinagar. The government described it as the first direct passenger rail connection between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley.  The latest speed upgrade therefore represents the next phase of the project: improving how efficiently trains can use infrastructure that is already operational.

What It Means for the Jammu-Srinagar Service

Current timetable listings identify train 26401 as running from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar, with stops including Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan station, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Reasi and Banihal. Train 26404 operates in the opposite direction from Srinagar towards Jammu Tawi.  That route is central to the Jammu Kashmir train connectivity story because passengers can now move between the two regions through an all-weather railway corridor rather than depending entirely on the road network.

The mountain section also includes the T-50 tunnel, one of the major engineering components of the project, alongside hundreds of bridges and other tunnels. Press Information Bureau

For Indian Railways, the operational challenge is now shifting from construction towards improving capacity, reliability and speed on the completed corridor.

Why the Bridges Matter Beyond the Speed Record

Both bridges were built to overcome terrain that had delayed a continuous rail link into the Valley for decades. The arch structure over the Chenab had to span an exceptionally deep gorge while meeting demanding wind and seismic requirements. The Anji structure required an entirely different cable-stayed engineering solution. Their completion allowed the missing railway section through Reasi and the Himalayan terrain to become part of the wider national network.

The new speed limit shows how Indian Railways is gradually moving from commissioning the USBRL infrastructure to extracting greater operational performance from it. However, the October milestone should not be confused with the opening of a new line or the introduction of a new train. The route has been operational since 2025 and expanded to Jammu in 2026. What changed now is the speed at which trains are permitted to operate across the Katra–Banihal section.

The Anji Khad Bridge and the world's highest railway arch bridge can now be crossed at up to 100 kmph under the revised operating conditions—a significant step for a railway corridor built through some of India's most challenging terrain.