Srinagar, April 6 -- Indian Railways is all set to introduce the first-ever Vande Bharat Express connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the inaugural run on April 19.

The full Delhi-to-Srinagar Vande Bharat service will follow in the second phase, tentatively scheduled for August or September this year. However, passengers travelling on the Delhi-Srinagar route will be required to change trains at Katra, where mandatory security and health protocols will be in place.

Despite being a single-ticket journey, all passengers will need to disembark at Katra, undergo security checks, and wait for 2-3 hours before continuing towards Srinagar. Northern Railway officials cited sen...