Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link’s final track work done: Vaishnaw

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday that the final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link has been completed.

"Historic milestone; Final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link is complete," he said on X.

He added, "The ballast-less track work for the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was successfully completed today at 02:00 hrs." It is a significant announcement in providing a rail link to various places of Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the country.

Phase I of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL) project, covering the 118-km-long Qazigund-Baramulla section, was first inaugurated in October 2009 under the Congress-led UPA govt.

Subsequent phases saw the inauguration of the 18 km long Banihal-Qazigund section in June 2013 and the 25-km-long Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014.

In February, the first electric train trial run from Banihal to Khari to Sangaldan section on the Banihal-Katra section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project in Ramban was successfully conducted on around 40 km of track and tunnels between Banihal and Sangaldan Railway Stations in Ramban district.

"After conduction of a series of such tests, this bridge would be open to run all train services which will be a monumental stride towards the seamless integration of the Kashmir valley with Jammu and the broader Indian landscape," a railway official said.

He added, "This would foster social integration by facilitating easier movement of people and goods, thereby promoting cultural exchanges & regional development and boost to economic activities such as tourism and trade." With aim to provide an alternative and a reliable transportation system to Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian Railway has successfully laid a 272-km-long line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with the Railways network under USBRL.

This project has been the most challenging works undertaken post-independence by Railways.

In view of importance of USBRL project in providing seamless and hassle-free connectivity, the project was declared as "National Project" in 2002.

The USBRL Project involves 38 Tunnels (combined length of 119Km), the longest tunnel (T-49) is having a length of 12.75 km and is country's longest transportation tunnel.

There are 927 bridges (combined length of 13 km). These bridges include the iconic Chenab bridge (overall length 1315 m, arch span of 467 m and height of 359 m above river bed) which is around 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and is pegged to be the World's highest arch railway bridge. PTI