Jammu, May 1 -- Union minister for railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday flagged off the extended Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat Express service from Jammu Tawi station, establishing a direct link between the two capital cities. While the inaugural run took place on Thursday, regular service between Jammu and Srinagar is scheduled to commence on May 2. "The Vande Bharat service has been extended to Jammu from Katra. Now, a direct Vande Bharat between Jammu and Srinagar shall be available to the people. We have also increased rakes to 20 from eight because there was a huge demand by the people," Vaishnaw told reporters onboard the inaugural train. He further said that Poonch-Rajouri rail link and Uri-Baramulla line extension were under planning and DPR stage, adding that doubling of rail line between Qazigund and Baramullah in Kashmir was also underway. He recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi first inaugurated the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project and introduced the service from Katra to Srinagar last year. "The extension of Vande Bharat to Jammu and upgrading it to 20 coaches will benefit people. The eight-coach VB always had 100% occupancy and there was a huge demand by the people to increase the rakes," he said. Vaishnaw also inspected Anji and Chenab bridges. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister (CM) Omar Abdullah described the occasion as "a day long awaited by the people of Jammu and Kashmir". The minister noted that the USBRL project, built at a cost of Rs.43,780 crore with 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, serves as the essential connective tissue for this expansion. He emphasised that rail connectivity has provided a major impetus for transporting cement, automobiles, and fertilisers to the Valley. "I've been told that cost of cement (in Srinagar) has come down by Rs.50 per bag," he said, adding a survey for extending the rail network to the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch is currently underway. The upgrade to 20 rakes allows travellers from Delhi to reach Srinagar directly, benefiting tourists and pilgrims alike. Two pairs of services will operate across the 266-km corridor. Train No. 26401 departs Jammu Tawi at 6.20am and arrives in Srinagar at 11.10am, with the return (No. 26402) leaving Srinagar at 2pm. This pair runs six days a week, except Tuesday. The second service (No. 26404) leaves Srinagar at 8am, arriving in Jammu at 12.40pm, with its return (No. 26403) departing Jammu at 1.20pm and reaching Srinagar by 6pm, running daily except Wednesday In Srinagar, stakeholders, upbeat over the development called the service a game changer for tourism and trade....