Railway Ministry approves 100 kmph speed limit for Katra-Banihal rail section

The Indian Railway Ministry has approved an increase in the maximum permissible speed to 100 kmph for the 111-kilometer Broad Gauge rail section between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir.

Northern Railway clarified that while the speed limit increase has been authorized following safety compliance checks, no train has yet operated at the new 100 kmph speed on the Chenab or Anji bridges. This clarification follows conflicting reports and viral videos suggesting the Vande Bharat Express had already completed a high-speed run over the Chenab Bridge.

The speed enhancement applies to the entire Katra-Banihal section, which previously had different limits: 85 kmph on the Katra-Sangaldan stretch and 75 kmph on the Sangaldan-Banihal stretch. The move is expected to reduce travel time, strengthen regional connectivity, and boost tourism and economic activity in the area. The Chenab Bridge, a key component of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, is the world’s highest railway bridge, standing 359 meters above the riverbed.