कश्मीर घाटी में वंदे भारत ट्रेन सेवाओं का उद्घाटन
कश्मीर घाटी में ट्रेन सेवाओं और USBRL खंड का उद्घाटन भारतीय रेलवे के लिए एक महत्वपूर्ण उपलब्धि है, जो कनेक्टिविटी, प्रगति और समावेशन के नए युग की शुरुआत को चिह्नित करता है। यह ऐतिहासिक मील का पत्थर, विशेष रूप से कश्मीर घाटी के चुनौतीपूर्ण शीतकालीन परिस्थितियों में निर्बाध रूप से संचालन के लिए डिज़ाइन की गई अत्याधुनिक वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस की शुरुआत से और भी महत्वपूर्ण हो जाता है।
वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस: इंजीनियरिंग उत्कृष्टता का प्रतीक
“मेक इन इंडिया” पहल के तहत, वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस को इंटीग्रल कोच फैक्ट्री (ICF) द्वारा निर्मित किया गया है और इसमें अत्याधुनिक तकनीक और उन्नत सुविधाएँ हैं, जो विश्वसनीयता, सुरक्षा और यात्री आराम को सुनिश्चित करती हैं। यह ट्रेन कश्मीर घाटी की चरम जलवायु परिस्थितियों के लिए विशेष रूप से तैयार की गई है, जो भारतीय रेलवे की नवाचार और क्षेत्रीय एकता के प्रति प्रतिबद्धता को दर्शाती है।
जम्मू और कश्मीर संचालन के लिए विशेष सुविधाएँ
उन्नत हीटिंग सिस्टम्स
सिलिकॉन हीटिंग पैड्स: पानी और बायो-टॉयलेट टैंक के जमने से बचाने के लिए, और ओवरहीट सुरक्षा सेंसर के साथ सुरक्षा और विश्वसनीयता सुनिश्चित करना।
हीटेड प्लम्बिंग पाइपलाइन्स: स्व-नियंत्रित हीटिंग केबल्स, पानी को जमा होने से रोकने के लिए, यह सुनिश्चित करती हैं कि ठंडे तापमान में भी संचालन सुचारू रहे।
भारतीय टॉयलेट्स में हीटर: वाक्यूम सिस्टम और शौचालयों के लिए गर्म हवा प्रदान करती है, जिससे यात्री आराम में वृद्धि होती है।
ऑटो-ड्रेनेजिंग मेकेनिज़म: पाइपलाइनों में ड्रेनेज सिस्टम लगे होते हैं ताकि स्थिर अवस्था में जमाव से बचा जा सके।
संचालक की सुविधा और सुरक्षा में वृद्धि
विंडशील्ड में एम्बेडेड हीटिंग एलिमेंट्स: ड्राइवर की सामने की खिड़की में हीटिंग एलिमेंट्स होते हैं, जो सर्दियों में जमी हुई बर्फ को पिघलाने में मदद करते हैं, जिससे दृश्यता सुनिश्चित होती है।
एंटी-स्पल लेयर्स: जो चरम मौसम या अप्रत्याशित घटनाओं के दौरान चालक को सुरक्षा प्रदान करते हैं।
अतिरिक्त तकनीकी उन्नतियाँ
एयर ड्रायर सिस्टम हीटिंग: यह सुनिश्चित करता है कि ब्रेक सिस्टम ठंडे तापमान में भी सही ढंग से काम करे।
ब्रांच HVAC डक्ट्स: यात्री शौचालयों में आरामदायक गर्म हवा के लिए डक्ट्स।
5 kVA ट्रांसफॉर्मर्स: ये महत्वपूर्ण घटकों में हीटिंग सिस्टम्स के लिए समर्पित होते हैं।
प्रमुख यात्री सुविधाएँ
पूरी तरह से वातानुकूलित कोच, जो सेमी-हाई स्पीड क्षमता (160 किमी प्रति घंटे तक) के साथ हैं।
चौड़ी गेंगवेज़, स्वचालित प्लग दरवाजे, मोबाइल चार्जिंग सॉकेट्स, इन्फोटेनमेंट सिस्टम्स और सुरक्षा के लिए CCTV कैमरे।
कश्मीर घाटी पर प्रभाव
कश्मीर घाटी में वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस की शुरुआत रेल यात्रा में एक बड़ा परिवर्तन है। इस सेवा के द्वारा:
सभी मौसमों में निर्बाध कनेक्टिविटी: बर्फ, ठंडे तापमान और चरम परिस्थितियों की चुनौतियों को पार करते हुए, यह ट्रेन निरंतर रेल सेवाओं को सुनिश्चित करती है।
यात्री आराम में वृद्धि: आधुनिक सुविधाएँ और जलवायु-विशिष्ट अनुकूलन, जो विश्वस्तरीय यात्रा अनुभव प्रदान करती हैं।
क्षेत्रीय एकता को बढ़ावा: घाटी को राष्ट्रीय रेलवे नेटवर्क से प्रभावी रूप से जोड़कर, यह ट्रेन भारत की प्रतिबद्धता को दर्शाती है कि वह भौगोलिक और आर्थिक अंतर को पाटे।
निष्कर्ष
जम्मू और कश्मीर में वंदे भारत एक्सप्रेस सिर्फ एक ट्रेन नहीं है—यह भारत की इंजीनियरिंग क्षमता, प्रगति के प्रति प्रतिबद्धता और विभिन्न क्षेत्रों के बीच कनेक्टिविटी को बढ़ावा देने का प्रतीक है। यह पहल घाटी के लोगों के लिए रेल यात्रा को सुरक्षित, विश्वसनीय और विश्वस्तरीय परिवहन में बदलने की संभावना को व्यक्त करती है।
Railways well on course to make itself future ready; Spends 76% of its Budgetary Outlay for the current fiscal in Capacity augmentation aiming to give safer, faster & world class travel to travelers
Spending in State-of-the-art capacity addition projects in mission mode by Indian Railways reflects prompt execution of Visionary foresight of Viksit Bharat
Serving faster, safer & world class travel experience at nominal cost to billions of Indians is not an easy task. But Indian Railways is doing it in a mission mode by transforming itself to be a future ready organization catering to geographically, culturally, socially as well as economically diverse India. Keeping pace with the budgetary allocation, Railways has spent 76 percent of its budgetary outlay with in first nine months & 4 days of the current fiscal year. According to a latest expenditure report of Indian Railways till January 5, 2025, heavy investment is made in capacity augmentation, a reality aiming to make rail travel a world class experience in India.
The fruits for consistent Capital Expenditure (Capex) for the last one decade are visible in the form of 136 Vande Bharat trains, about 97 percent electrification of broad gauge, laying of new lines, gauge conversion, doubling of track, traffic facilities work, investment in PSUs & metropolitan transport. This Capital expenditure has led to faster, safer & world class travel experience at nominal cost to billions of Indians. With Vande Bharat sleeper trains at speed testing & safety certification stage, Rail commuters in India are all set to experience world class travel very soon for “long distance” travel. This will revolutionize the overall travel experience. This transformation of Indian Railways would not have been possible without the visionary foresight of Viksit Bharat & its prompt execution by spending in the modernization projects in a mission mode by Indian Railways.
Despite challenges like India being the most populous nation with its vast geographical, cultural & linguistic diversity, Indian Railways is implementing a vision of transformative governance to build a new, modern & connected India. It has been spearheading efforts to build an all-inclusive India by investing in infrastructure, technology, and sustainable practices. This way, Indian Railways is ensuring that the seeds of progress sown today bear best fruits for our future generations. Given the complexity of India, this is not an easy task for an organization to cater to the present load as well as to invest heavily in building its future. But with 1198 crore of Capital Expenditure spending in the first four days of this calendar year, the overall capital expenditure of Indian Railways stands at 76 percent with nearly three months to go.
The Total Capex for railways in Budget Estimate 2024-25 is ₹ 2,65,200 cr with Gross Budgetary Support of Rs. 2,52,200 crores. Out of it, Rs.192446 crores have already been spent. For rolling stock, the budgetary provision was for Rs. 50,903 crores. Out of it, Rs. 40, 367 crores were spent by 5th January, which is 79℅ of the budget, allotted for rolling stock. In Safety related works, out of budgetary allocation of Rs.34,412 crore, the amount spent is Rs. 28,281, which is 82 percent of the allocated amount. The government has prioritized transforming Indian Railways into a world class entity, which ferries on an average “2.3 crore Indians” daily from one part of the country to the other part at an affordable cost. Charting out well on this path of development, India Railways is committing taxpayer’s money in capital expenditure to create state of the art infrastructure for generations to come, thus contributing in the direction of “Future ready” Indian Railways as we all progress towards Viksit Bharat.
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Prime Minister’s Office
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone of various railway projects
The launch of rail infrastructure projects in Jammu-Kashmir, Telangana and Odisha will promote tourism and add to socio-economic development in these regions: PM
Today, the country is engaged in achieving the resolve of Viksit Bharat and for this, the development of Indian Railways is very important: PM
We are taking forward the development of railways in India on four parameters. First- modernization of railway infrastructure, Second- Modern facilities for railway passengers, Third- Railway connectivity in every corner of the country, Fourth- Railways for creating jobs, supporting industries: PM
Today India is close to 100 percent electrification of railway lines, We have also continuously expanded the reach of railways: PM
Posted On: 06 JAN 2025 3:00PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various railway projects today, via video conferencing. The Prime Minister inaugurated the new Jammu Railway Division. He also laid the foundation stone of Rayagada Railway Division Building of East Coast Railway and inaugurated the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in Telangana.
Extending his greetings on the occasion of Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Jayanti, the Prime Minister emphasized that his teachings and life inspires the vision of a strong and prosperous nation. Lauding Bharat’s fast-paced progress in connectivity, Shri Modi stated that since the start of 2025, India has been accelerating its initiatives with its metro rail network expanding to over 1000 kilometers. He mentioned the recent inauguration of Namo Bharat train in Delhi-NCR along with the launch of Delhi Metro projects yesterday. Shri Modi added that today’s event is a further testimony to the fact that the entire nation is moving forward together, step by step, as projects launched in Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha and Telangana mark a major leap in modern connectivity for these the north, east and south regions of the country. He reiterated that the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ is helping turn the vision of a developed India into reality. He congratulated the people of these states and all citizens of India on these developments.
The Prime Minister underscored that the work on modern rail networks like the Dedicated Freight Corridor is progressing rapidly in the country.He said these special corridors will reduce pressure on the regular tracks and will also create more opportunities for high-speed trains. Shri Modi emphasised that the railways are undergoing a transformation with the promotion of Made in India. He said Modern coaches are being developed for metros and railways. Stations are also being redeveloped, Solar panels are being installed at stations and ‘One Station, One Product’ stalls are being set up at railway stations. All these initiatives are generating millions of new employment opportunities in the railway sector. “Over the last decade, millions of young people have secured permanent government jobs in the railways. The demand for raw materials in factories producing new train coaches leads to more job opportunities in other sectors as well”, Shri Modi added.
The Prime Minister remarked that keeping in mind the special skills related to the railways, the country’s first Gati-Shakti University has also been established. As the railway network expands, new divisions and headquarters are being set up, benefiting regions like Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Leh-Ladakh. He stated that Jammu and Kashmir is achieving new milestones in railway infrastructure, with the Udhampur – Srinagar -Baramulla rail line, which is being discussed all over the country today. Shri Modi said the completion of the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, will play a key role in connecting the region with the rest of India providing convenience to the people of Leh-Ladakh.
Shri Modi remarked that the Anji Khad Bridge, which is the country’s first cable-based railway bridge, is also part of this project. He said Chenab Bridge and the Anji Khad Bridge are unparalleled examples of engineering leading to economic progress in the region and promoting prosperity.
The Prime Minister highlighted that Odisha is blessed with abundant natural resources and a large coastline, and holds significant potential for international trade. He said that several railway projects worth over ₹70,000 crore are ongoing in the state, along with the establishment of seven Gati Shakti cargo terminals, which are boosting trade and industry. Shri Modi stated that today, the foundation stone has been laid for the Rayagada Railway Division in Odisha, which will strengthen the state’s railway infrastructure promoting tourism, business, and employment in Odisha specially South Odisha, where the number of tribal families is higher.
Inaugurating the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in Telangana today, the Prime Minister highlighted its potential to accelerate regional development by connecting to the Outer Ring Road. “This station, connected to the Outer Ring Road, will significantly boost development in the region,” he stated. Shri Modi also highlighted the station’s modern amenities including its platforms, lifts, escalators, solar-powered operations, saying, “This is a step forward in creating sustainable infrastructure.” He further highlighted that this new terminal will ease the pressure on existing stations in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Kachiguda, making travel more convenient for the people.
The Prime Minister emphasised that such projects not only enhance the ease of living but also promote the ease of doing business, aligning with India’s broader infrastructure goals. Shri Modi noted that India is currently undergoing a massive infrastructure expansion, including expressways, waterways and metro networks. He said that the number of airports has grown from 74 in 2014 to over 150 today and that metro services have expanded from 5 cities to 21 cities across the country. He said, “These projects are part of a larger roadmap towards a developed India, which is now a mission for every citizen of this country.”
Expressing confidence in Bharat’s growth, the Prime Minister said, “I am certain that, together, we will accelerate this growth even further.” He congratulated the citizens of India on these milestones and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to nation-building.
The Union Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister Shri V. Somanna, Minister of State Shri Ravneet Singh Bittu, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Governor of Odisha, Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Governor of Telangana, Shri Hari Babu Kambhampati, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Telangana Shri A Revanth Reddy and Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Mohan Charan Majhi were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Background
In a key move to further boost connectivity in the region, the Prime Minister inaugurated the new Jammu Railway Division. He also laid the foundation stone of Rayagada Railway Division Building of East Coast Railway and inaugurated the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in Telangana.
Creation of the Jammu Railway Division, with 742.1 KM comprising Pathankot – Jammu – Udhampur – Srinagar – Baramulla, Bhogpur Sirwal – Pathankot, Batala – Pathankot and Pathankot to Joginder Nagar sections, will significantly benefit Jammu and Kashmir and surrounding regions, fulfilling the long pending aspiration of the people and improving connectivity to other parts of India. It will create employment opportunities, infrastructure development, promote tourism and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region.
Charlapalli New Terminal Station in the Medchal-Malkajgiri District of Telangana has been developed as a new coaching terminal along with provision of second entry with a cost of around Rs 413 crore. This environment friendly terminal, having good passenger amenities, will ease congestion on the existing coaching terminals in the city like Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Kacheguda.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for Rayagada Railway Division Building of East Coast Railway. It will improve connectivity in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and nearby areas and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region.
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