First direct rail service linking Kashmir with rest of country to open soon

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Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) and Ircon International Ltd. are the executing agencies for the Rs 37,012.26 crore strategically significant USBRL project.

According to a senior engineer at Konkan Railway, the rail service will start within the next 3-4 months. “Work on tunnels T1, T14 and Bridge 60 is still in progress. There are still some hindrances but engineers and workers are working to complete the project as soon as possible. There is every possibility that the full train service between Jammu and Srinagar will start by early next year.”

The 272-km-long USBRL project—declared a “National Project” in 2002-03—was commissioned in phases. The first phase, the 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla section, was commissioned in October 2009 followed by the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund stretch in June 2013 and 25-km Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014. Work on the 111-km Katra-Banihal stretch is still underway.

A senior official working on the project who did not want to be identified, told Moneycontrol that there are topographical challenges on the 111 km Katra-Banihal stretch, while the remaining sections are almost complete. “The Katra-Banihal section is the most challenging portion for construction due to its geology and extensive riverine system with deep gorges. It includes a large number of tunnels and bridges, through highly rugged and mountainous terrain, with the most difficult Himalayan geology.”

Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railway, confirmed that train services between Jammu and Kashmir will begin soon.

“Work on the project is in full swing and is at an advanced stage. The vital Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge—35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris—and the Anji Khad Bridge—India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, on the Katra-Banihal section—are also complete,” Kumar told Moneycontrol.

Besides the two iconic bridges, another engineering marvel of the mega USBRL project is the T-49 tunnel, built in difficult terrain in the mighty Himalayas. The 12.7 km tunnel is Indian Railways’ longest tunnel, surpassing the 11.2-km-long Pir Panjal tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund section of the project in length.

According to Northern Railway, after 2008 every tunnel under USBRL has been constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). “USBRL is the most difficult new railway line project undertaken on the Indian subcontinent due to which the world’s most advanced and modern technology was used for planning and construction,” said an official from Northern Railway. “For example, USBRL involves construction of nearly 186 km of tunneling works (38 main tunnels and 8 escape tunnels). There are also 931 bridges with a combined length of 13 km. Railway electrification works based on the Rigid Overhead Conductor System is also being provided for the first time on Indian Railways.”

A railway official told Moneycontrol that the government is also planning to introduce the Vande Bharat Metro train service, a state-of-the-art train designed to offer passengers high-speed travel, comfort, and additional safety features between Jammu and Srinagar.

Mehraj-Ud-Din Lone, who worked with USBRL between 2015 and 2020 as a senior geologist, told Moneycontrol that once ready, the railway line will improve and enhance connectivity and accessibility between Jammu and Srinagar. It is expected to provide a crucial link between Baramulla district in the Kashmir Valley and the outside world, allowing rapid movement of people, goods and security personnel, he noted.

Northern Railway has stated that with completion of approach roads through USBRL, more than 73 villages will get connected, providing road connectivity to about 1,47,000 people in the region.

Both the government as well as people expect the USBRL project to bypass landslide and accident-prone areas from Srinagar to Jammu.

Challenging terrain, adverse weather conditions and landslides have virtually turned the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH44) into a death trap, with accidents taking place frequently. Last year, according to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NH44 recorded 648 accidents, which caused 93 fatalities.

Similarly, last year the landslides halted movement along the highway, causing a loss of more than Rs 1,500 crores to the apple industry, the backbone of Kashmir’s economy.

Once the train service becomes operational, Kashmir’s fruit growers will have better access to outside markets, freed from their reliance on NH44 and its frequent disruptions.

Lone said that the train service will also boost J&K’s tourism industry, with more tourists now reaching the breathtaking Valley, opening employment avenues for local youth.

Ajaz Ahmad Mir, who frequently travels to Delhi for work, sees the USBRL project as a boon for the people of J&K. “The train service will mostly benefit the people of Kashmir because anyone from the Valley can smoothly reach Jammu or Delhi within hours. During adverse weather or closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, commuters have to spend extra money on food and accommodation in Jammu, which will not happen anymore. The rail service will make journeys cheaper and smoother,” said Mir, who hails from Pulwama district in south Kashmir.