New Delhi:
In a significant milestone for India’s rail infrastructure, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has approved the Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, paving the way for the long-awaited rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country. This approval, granted after a thorough inspection from January 5 to 6, 2025, marks the final step in completing the ambitious USBRL project, which was originally sanctioned in 1994-1995.
The CRS, Northern Circle, Dinesh Chand Deshwal, conducted a detailed inspection of the 16.5-km Katra-Reasi section, including speed trials that reached up to 110 kmph on both the up and down routes between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal. The trials were carried out using a specially equipped inspection train fitted with an oscillation monitoring system (OMS) and pulled by an electric locomotive. This section, part of the Ferozepur Division of Northern Railway, is now cleared for commercial operations, with trains allowed to run at speeds of up to 85 kmph on the main line and 15 kmph on the loop line of a station.
The authorisation comes with specific terms and conditions, including the establishment of a proper system for monitoring and reviewing the instrumentation data of critical bridges such as the Anji cable-stayed bridge, the Chenab Bridge, and others. The CRS has also recommended the construction of helipads for emergency situations due to the section’s challenging terrain and lack of road connectivity. Additionally, the report highlights the need for close monitoring of the ballastless track and the completion of soil erosion measures at certain locations.
Railway officials have expressed satisfaction with the outcome, noting that safety is the top priority. “We have never been in a hurry to start train operations as safety is our primary concern,” said a senior railway official. “The CRS inspects every minute detail, which is crucial. Since the authorisation has been received, we will fulfil the required conditions, and operations will commence soon”.
The completion of the Katra-Reasi section is a culmination of decades of work on the USBRL project. Trains have already been operational between Baramulla and Banihal in the Kashmir Valley and between Jammu, Udhampur, and Katra in the Jammu region. The 48-km section from Banihal to Sangaldan was commissioned in February 2024, and the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section received CRS authorisation on July 1, 2024. With this final approval, the entire 272-km USBRL project is now set to connect Kashmir with the rest of India, significantly reducing travel time and enhancing regional development.
The inaugural run on this section is expected to be conducted this month, with speculation that it might coincide with Parakram Diwas on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The railways have readied an eight-coach Jammu-Kashmir Vande Bharat train designed to operate in extreme cold conditions, marking a new era in rail travel between Delhi and Srinagar.
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