Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday Jammu and Kashmir will have Vande Bharat trains next year as Jammu-Srinagar rail link will be opened this year only.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function, he said that Kupwara and other two destinations in the Kashmir Valley will be connected with the Indian railways soon.

He said that railways across Jammu and Kashmir will be improved and the improvement will be witnessed by the year end.

“Telephone connectivity, double lines, parcel services, cement and pharmaceutical trade via Indian railways would be ensured by year end, besides, facilities for apple trade would also be considered,” he said.