A video shared by Sajjad Shaheen, MLA from Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir, has gone viral, showcasing the Vande Bharat Express passing through the picturesque Banihal Valley and Banihal Tunnel. The stunning visuals have left viewers mesmerised, highlighting the blend of natural beauty and modern rail infrastructure in the region.
The short clip captures the semi-high-speed train cutting through a snow-covered landscape, with thick layers of snow blanketing the mountains and railway tracks in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir. The visuals underline the engineering achievement of maintaining rail connectivity in one of India’s most challenging terrains during peak winter conditions.
The Vande Bharat Express operates between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar, providing all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley. The service is part of the ambitious Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, which aims to seamlessly connect Kashmir with the rest of India. The Valley was linked by rail in 2023, marking a historic milestone after decades of engineering and logistical challenges in the Himalayan region.
Watch the video here:
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Netizens found the video mesmarising. One user said, "Why spend lakhs to visit Switzerland when you can enjoy such breathtaking snow-clad train journeys in India itself?"
Another user reposted the video and said, "Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat runs through fresh snowfall, moving on snow-covered tracks and landscapes. Built for extreme cold with advanced heating, snow-clearing and visibility systems. Cuts travel time to ~3 hours, ensuring year-round rail connectivity even during harsh weather."
"If you wouldn’t have mentioned “Vande Bharat”, I would’ve thought this was in Switzerland!," commented another netizen. "Amazing progress made in Kashmir. It is now connected to the national rail network. It has an NIT, an IIT and an upcoming AIIMS too," wrote another. "That orange color is really looking amazing with snow all around," another user wrote.
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Kashmir was connected to the rest of India by rail in 2023, marking a historic milestone after decades of logistical and engineering challenges in the Himalayan region. The completion of key sections of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project enabled seamless rail connectivity to the Valley, which had long relied on road routes vulnerable to winter closures.
A defining symbol of this integration is the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 metres above the Chenab River. Designed to withstand seismic activity, extreme winds, and sub-zero temperatures, the bridge stands as one of the most ambitious and remarkable infrastructure achievements of Indian Railways.
"The Jammu-Srinagar National highway has been partially restored. Stranded vehicles between Nashri and NAVYUG tunnels are being cleared first," an official of the traffic police said.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the 270-km highway since Friday when heavy snowfall forced closure of the road. Srinagar city also received light snowfall in the early hours of the day.
However, flight operations to and from Srinagar international airport have not been affected by inclement weather as three flights have already arrived. "The flight operations at Srinagar airport are going on normally," an official of the Airport Authority of India said here. Train services have also been operating as per schedule, the officials said.
(With PTI inputs)
The short clip captures the semi-high-speed train cutting through a snow-covered landscape, with thick layers of snow blanketing the mountains and railway tracks in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir. The visuals underline the engineering achievement of maintaining rail connectivity in one of India’s most challenging terrains during peak winter conditions.
The Vande Bharat Express operates between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar, providing all-weather rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley. The service is part of the ambitious Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, which aims to seamlessly connect Kashmir with the rest of India. The Valley was linked by rail in 2023, marking a historic milestone after decades of engineering and logistical challenges in the Himalayan region.
Watch the video here:
How netizens reacted to Vande Bharat video
The introduction of Vande Bharat services is being seen as a major boost to winter connectivity, particularly when road links such as the Banihal–Ramban stretch are often disrupted by snowfall and landslides. The viral visuals come amid an intense cold wave in Jammu and Kashmir, with fresh snowfall reported across higher reaches and temperatures plunging well below freezing. Railway officials said that modern infrastructure, advanced safety systems, and regular snow-clearance operations are now enabling train services to operate even during harsh winter spells that once brought surface connectivity to a halt.ALSO READ: Jamie Dimon drops big hint on JPMorgan's future hiring in the coming years at Davos, Wall Street stalwart says 'you can’t lay off 2 million...'
Netizens found the video mesmarising. One user said, "Why spend lakhs to visit Switzerland when you can enjoy such breathtaking snow-clad train journeys in India itself?"
Another user reposted the video and said, "Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat runs through fresh snowfall, moving on snow-covered tracks and landscapes. Built for extreme cold with advanced heating, snow-clearing and visibility systems. Cuts travel time to ~3 hours, ensuring year-round rail connectivity even during harsh weather."
"If you wouldn’t have mentioned “Vande Bharat”, I would’ve thought this was in Switzerland!," commented another netizen. "Amazing progress made in Kashmir. It is now connected to the national rail network. It has an NIT, an IIT and an upcoming AIIMS too," wrote another. "That orange color is really looking amazing with snow all around," another user wrote.
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Kashmir was connected to the rest of India by rail in 2023, marking a historic milestone after decades of logistical and engineering challenges in the Himalayan region. The completion of key sections of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project enabled seamless rail connectivity to the Valley, which had long relied on road routes vulnerable to winter closures.
A defining symbol of this integration is the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 metres above the Chenab River. Designed to withstand seismic activity, extreme winds, and sub-zero temperatures, the bridge stands as one of the most ambitious and remarkable infrastructure achievements of Indian Railways.
Fresh snowfall in Kashmir
The Srinagar-Jammu national highway was restored partially on Sunday after remaining closed for more than two days due to heavy snowfall. Parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar, received fresh snowfall this morning, hampering snow clearance operations on the highway."The Jammu-Srinagar National highway has been partially restored. Stranded vehicles between Nashri and NAVYUG tunnels are being cleared first," an official of the traffic police said.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the 270-km highway since Friday when heavy snowfall forced closure of the road. Srinagar city also received light snowfall in the early hours of the day.
However, flight operations to and from Srinagar international airport have not been affected by inclement weather as three flights have already arrived. "The flight operations at Srinagar airport are going on normally," an official of the Airport Authority of India said here. Train services have also been operating as per schedule, the officials said.
(With PTI inputs)
