A Vande Bharat train crossed the Chenab and Anji bridges in Jammu and Kashmir at 100 kmph for the first time, the railways said. The run took place on October 1 and 2.

The milestone follows the railway ministry’s decision to raise the speed limit from 75 kmph to 100 kmph on the 111-km Katra-Banihal section. The clearance was given in August after extensive safety checks, officials said.

The Chenab bridge, at 359 metres above the river, is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. The Anji Khad bridge is India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge. Both are part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link connecting Kashmir to the rest of India.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the train number 26401/26404 completed the trial run successfully. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video of the run on social media.

The speed increase is expected to cut travel time on the Katra-Banihal stretch. The rail link is seen as a major step in integrating the Kashmir Valley with the national railway network.