NationalSaturday, 3 October 2026·The Hindu - National
Vande Bharat crosses Chenab and Anji bridges at 100 kmph on 111-km Katra-Banihal section
On October 1, 2026, the Katra-Banihal rail section under USBRL was tested at 100 kmph, with Vande Bharat crossing the Chenab Bridge and Anji Bridge.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On October 1, 2026, the 111-km Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal broad-gauge section under the USBRL project was tested at 100 kmph, and a Vande Bharat Express crossed the Chenab Bridge and the Anji Bridge at that speed.
Key specifics
- The maximum permissible speed on the Katra-Banihal section was raised from 75 kmph to 100 kmph.
- The section is 111 km long and lies under Northern Railway’s Jammu division.
- The Chenab Bridge is described as the world’s highest railway bridge.
- The Anji Khad Bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express on June 6, 2025.
Exam lens
Question type: Infrastructure and railway MCQ, USBRL project, Chenab Bridge, Anji Bridge, 111-km section, and speed increase from 75 kmph to 100 kmph. TNPSC may ask which bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge or the date of the Vande Bharat flag-off.