In a sudden reversal of plans, the Railway Board has suspended the highly anticipated extension of the Vande Bharat Express service between Jammu and Srinagar, which was originally slated to begin on March 1, 2026. The decision came on the night of February 24, just hours after Northern Railway had officially announced the new schedule and capacity upgrades. While the local railway division had already shared details regarding a shift from 8-car to 20-car rakes to accommodate over 1,400 daily passengers, the central board intervened to put the notification “on hold until further advice.” Senior officials cited “unavoidable circumstances” for the delay but did not provide a specific technical or administrative reason for the last-minute pause.
The proposed service was designed to be a game-changer for the region, promising to connect the twin capitals of Jammu and Kashmir in just under five hours. Currently, the Vande Bharat operates successfully between Srinagar and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, but a direct link to Jammu Tawi remains a critical missing piece for seamless national connectivity. This extension is particularly vital during the winter months when the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway frequently shuts down due to landslides and heavy snow. For now, the existing service will continue to terminate at Katra, leaving travelers and tourism stakeholders waiting for a revised launch date from the Ministry of Railways.