SRINAGAR: History is in making as work on the monumental 172-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) connecting Kashmir with the country’s rail network is nearing completion. An inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) of the 17-km Katra-Reasi stretch would be held on January 7 and 8. It would pave the way for plying of trains.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may most likely flag off the first train from Delhi to Baramulla on January 26. Final preparations are ongoing on the Katra-Reasi stretch, which has faced difficulties in construction, especially the construction of 3.2-km-long Tunnel T-33 (earlier known as T1).
Located at the foothills of Vaishno Devi shrine, the tunnel took eight years to complete due to its technical complexity. The final electricity works are being rapidly completed and is expected to finish soon.
The 272 kms long Udhampur-Baramulla railway project built at the cost of Rs 37,012 crores will extend the train connectivity from Baramulla in north Kashmir to rest of the country. At present, the train services operate between Baramulla to Sangaldan (Ramban district).
The CRS would conduct a detailed inspection of the 17-km stretch on January 7 and 8 and its green signal would pave for rail connectivity between Delhi and Baramulla.
If everything goes as planned, it is expected that PM Narendra Modi may flag off the first train between Baramulla to Delhi on January 26. It would mark significant milestone in development of J&k’s infrastructure and economy.
Northern Railways General Manager Ashok Kumar Verma emphasised the importance of security for the project.
“We are having regular meetings with MHA and security officials of J&K and paramilitary officials. All measures have been put in place for smooth plying of trains and safeguarding the assets,” he said.
The trains will operate during the day and Railways would avoid plying trains in the late hours due to security concerns as deployment on highways and other places are withdrawn in the evening.
In another key development, PM Modi would virtually inaugurate Jammu Railway Division on January 6. At present, Jammu comes under Firozepur division of Northern Railways.