With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir to inaugurate the first-ever train service to the Valley, Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat chaired a high-level security review meeting in Jammu on Monday.
Kashmir News Observer (KNO) quoted sources saying that the the DGP conducted a detailed assessment of the security arrangements and instructed officials to ensure foolproof measures across all venues, especially at Katra, where the inaugural ceremony will be held.
The Special Protection Group (SPG), responsible for the Prime Minister’s security, has already taken control of the venue ahead of the high-profile event on April 19, when PM Modi is scheduled to flag off the historic train from Katra to Kashmir.
The occasion will also see the formal inauguration of the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, which the Prime Minister has previously described as an “unparalleled” feat of engineering.
The new train service marks the completion of rail connectivity between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley, linking the region to the rest of India. Initially, the Indian Railways plans to operate one Vande Bharat Express on the Katra-Srinagar stretch, reducing travel time to just over three hours—a significant drop from the current road journey of 6–7 hours.
Trial runs between Katra and the Kashmir Valley have been underway for over two months. At present, rail services in the Valley are limited to the Sangaldan-Baramulla section, while long-distance trains from other parts of the country terminate at Katra.
The Chenab Bridge, a key highlight of the rail link, stands at a staggering 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. Officials say approximately 29,000 tonnes of steel were used in its construction. Designed to withstand natural disasters, the bridge is built to remain unaffected even by an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, as it lies in a high seismic zone.
The inauguration of the train service and the Chenab Bridge is being seen as a major step toward boosting connectivity, tourism, and economic development in Jammu and Kashmir.
