Umaisar Gull Ganie
Katra, Dec 25: As Kashmir is all set to get rail connectivity, Northern Railway is giving final touches to the groundwork.
As a part of the preparations a successful train run, comprising an engine and goods train, was conducted on the 17-kilometer Katra-Reasi track on Wednesday. “Another trial run of a tower wagon was also conducted on India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge at Anji Khad, which is part of the USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) project,” a senior Northern Railway official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
“The engine trial train ran at 30 km/h, and the goods train at 20 km/h. The trial will continue until the final inspection,” he added.
Another official, who is also part of the train operations on the USBRL project, said that the speed of the engines will be increased in future. “Very soon electric engines will also chug on this line,” he added.
Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, posted on X: “Trial run of tower wagon on India’s First Cable-Stayed Railway Bridge at Anji Khad for USBRL Project in J&K.”
While giving the details of the upcoming railway operations on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link officials told KNO that from January 5 to January 6, 2025, statutory inspections will be conducted for the opening of the Katra-Reasi (16.501 km) section. “This section is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla New Broad Gauge (B.G.) Rail Link Project. The inspection will start at 20:50 hrs on January 5 and conclude at 07:55 hrs on January 6,” they added.
The Commissioner of Railways Safety (CRS) is expected to submit an inspection report to the Union Government on January 8.
Its in place to mention here that the Phase-I of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project, covering the 118-km-long Qazigund-Baramulla section, was inaugurated in October 2009. Subsequent phases included 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 on the Banihal-Katra section of the USBRL project was successfully conducted on approximately 40 km of track and tunnels between Banihal and Sangaldan Railway Stations in Ramban district.
The USBRL Project involves 38 tunnels with a combined length of 119 km. The longest tunnel, T-49, measures 12.75 km, making it the country’s longest transportation tunnel. The project also includes 927 bridges with a combined length of 13 km.
Among these is the iconic Chenab Bridge, with an overall length of 1,315 m, an arch span of 467 m, and a height of 359 m above the riverbed. This bridge stands about 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower and is recognized as the world’s highest arch railway bridge—(KNO)
