Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Launch Delayed After Pahalgam Terror Threat Alert

Following intelligence concerns regarding a possible terror threat to railway infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, the much-anticipated Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express inauguration has been delayed. The delay follows the recent terror incident in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including a local pony operator and 25 visitors in the Baisaran meadow region.

The high-speed train was supposed to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 19, but a number of issues, including bad weather, forced the cancellation. Officials now acknowledge that the Pahalgam incident has caused a major delay in the project.

There is currently no progress on starting operations, a senior Indian Railways official informed ETV Bharat. He stated that unless conditions are judged safe and viable, the project may be postponed for up to three months. According to the official, "important elements like a thorough security audit, operational viability, and the availability of a VIP for the launch need to be reassessed."

Security organisations warned of dangers to "vulnerable" train infrastructure in the area after the attack on April 22. Railway authorities were urged to increase security at stations and tracks and restrict the movement of non-local employees as a precaution.

Strict precautions have been put in place to secure the area, a security official stated. After a security audit, 48 tourist spots and other vulnerable areas have been temporarily shuttered.

Four months after being approved for commercial usage, the 270-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), which would link Kashmir with the rest of India, has yet to be formally inaugurated. The 111-kilometer Katra-Banihal leg, the most demanding part of the project, travels through rugged hilly terrain and seismic zone 5.

The two Kashmir-specific trains are presently parked at the Jammu Railway Station yard, awaiting a new green signal following the postponement of PM Modi's visit, despite the Vande Bharat train's successful January trial run.

Railway officials said plans to launch the service cannot proceed unless there is a return to normalcy and security.