Ambitious Udhampur-Baramulla rail project likely to be completed this year

The ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project to directly connect Kashmir with the rest of the country is likely to be completed this year.

This was announced by Minister for Railways Ashwani Vaishnaw on Friday in the Rajya Sabha. He said that executing agencies are working round the clock to complete the project.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Railway Minister said that the work of the new line in Jammu & Kashmir is being undertaken under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project. "Out of the total 272 Km of the Udhampur Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL), 255 KM has already been completed. The work has been taken up on the balance stretch of the Katra-Reasi section of 17 Km length. The anticipated cost of the project is Rs 41,000 crore, against which, an expenditure of Rs 38,931 crore has been incurred up to March 2024 on the project", he said.

"The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project is, perhaps, the most difficult new railway line project undertaken in the country post-independence. The terrain passes through young Himalayas, which are full of geological surprises", he informed.

"This section predominantly involves tunnelling i.e. 97.42 Km out of 111 Km (i.e. 87%) of the length of the Katra-Banihal section is in tunnels and a maximum length of tunnel T-49 is 12.77 Km, which will be the longest railway tunnel in the country", he said.

Successful trail on the world's highest railway bridge.

He further said that the Railway has made the world's highest Railway Bridge over the Chenab River in the Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir.

"The iconic Chenab Bridge is 1315 m long having an Arch span of 467 m and a height of 359 m above river bed. Indian Railway's first cable-stayed bridge has been constructed over Anji Khad. Its bridge deck is 331m above the river bed level and the height of its Main pylon is 193m", the minister said.

"The trial runs with electric trains have been successfully conducted on the Chenab Bridge. The section from Reasi to Sangaldan (46 km) has been commissioned. Chenab Bridge is situated between Bakkal and Dugga stations on the Reasi-Sangaldan section. The project is likely to be completed in this Financial year", the minister assured the House.

Railways Minister seeks time from PM to inaugurate Reasi-Sangaldan section

According to reports, the Railways Ministry has sought time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Reasi-Sangaldan section of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link.

On Wednesday Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Reasi to Sangaldan railway track has been completed. The train is already running between Sangaldan to Baramulla.

"We have written to the Prime Minister seeking time from him for the inauguration of the Reasi-Sangaldan section of Udhampur-Baramulla project," he said.

Completion of the Reasi-Sangaldan section of the track will take the train directly from Reasi to Baramulla. The train services are already running up to Katra, the base camp of the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, from different parts of the country.