The Railways has raised the maximum permissible speed on the 111-km Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal section from 75 kmph to 100 kmph. A Vande Bharat Express crossed the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River and India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge at Anji at 100 kmph during a successful test.

Senior divisional commercial manager Uchit Singhal said Vande Bharat service numbers 26401 and 26404 created a new record by crossing both bridges at the revised speed. The Chenab bridge stands 359 metres above the riverbed, while the Anji bridge rises 331 metres above the riverbed. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the development on X, writing, 100 km/h over India’s engineering pride.

The 111-km Katra-Banihal section is a crucial part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link, which connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country. The Railway Ministry approved the higher speed after all prescribed safety conditions were met in August. The section was inaugurated in June 2025. Officials said the higher speed will smoothen operations and cut journey times.