First freight train reaches Kashmir Valley with cement from Punjab
The first freight train to the Kashmir Valley arrived at the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed on 9 August 2025, carrying cement in 21 wagons from Rupnagar in Punjab; PM Modi called it a great day for commerce and connectivity.
Summary
The Kashmir Valley received its first freight train on 9 August 2025, when a rake of 21 wagons loaded with cement reached the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed from a cement facility in Rupnagar, Punjab. The train covered about 600 km in under 18 hours, according to reports, and came about two months after passenger services began on the full Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, responding to a post by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, called it a great day for commerce and connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Key facts
- Date
- 9 Aug 2025
- Destination
- Anantnag Goods Shed (newly commissioned)
- Origin
- Cement facility at Rupnagar, Punjab
- Load
- Cement in 21 wagons
- Journey
- About 600 km in under 18 hours
- Context
- About two months after full USBRL passenger services began
- Reaction
- PM: 'Great day for commerce and connectivity'
Practice MCQs 3 questions
At which station did the first freight train to the Kashmir Valley arrive on 9 August 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Anantnag
The train, carrying cement from Punjab, reached the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed.
The first freight train to the Kashmir Valley carried cement from a facility in which district of Punjab?
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Correct answer: D — Rupnagar
The cement rake was loaded at a cement facility in Rupnagar, Punjab.
Consider the following statements about the first freight train to the Kashmir Valley: 1. It carried cement in 21 wagons. 2. It ran before passenger services began on the full Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct: the rake had 21 wagons of cement. Statement 2 is incorrect: it came about two months after passenger services began on the full USBRL.