Srinagar, Nov 19 (KNO): Finally, the direct train from Delhi to Kashmir will chug in January 2025, officials said Tuesday.
Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that most of the work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project has been completed while remaining pending work is expected to finish by December this year.
"The track between Sangaldan and Reasi is complete, and the Director of Safety, Railways, has already inspected it. Work on the section from Reasi to Katra is also progressing," they said.
They said that plans to run a train between Sangaldan and Reasi had been revised and it was now decided to operate trains simultaneously on the 63-km stretch from Sangaldan to Katra. "Tunnel T-33 work is underway and will be completed by December. All work on the four stations along the 17-km railway line between Reasi and Katra will also be completed by the end of this year," officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to dedicate the New Delhi-Baramulla railway line to the nation on January 26, they added.
Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, who inspected the USBRL project, said testing on the Katra-Kashmir railway track is likely to conclude by December, ensuring Kashmir's connection to the railway network in January. "When our highways and railways are efficient, we can compete globally. I believe this project will be completed by January, and the PM will inaugurate it," he said.
He said the project would provide an economic boost to the region. "This will be an eye-opener for the world. Safety remains our top priority, and every aspect is being checked to ensure the project’s completion by December."
The USBRL project features 38 tunnels spanning 119 km, including the country’s longest transportation tunnel, Tunnel T-49, measuring 12.75 km. It also includes 927 bridges covering a combined length of 13 km. Among these is the iconic Chenab Bridge, an engineering marvel standing 359 meters above the riverbed—about 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower—making it the world’s highest arch railway bridge. The bridge, made of steel and concrete, is designed to withstand wind speeds of 260 km/h and the highest intensity earthquakes.
Notable milestones in the Kashmir Rail Project include the completion of the Baramulla-Qazigund section in 2009, Qazigund-Banihal in 2013, Udhampur-Katra in 2014, and the Banihal-Sangaldan service, inaugurated by PM Modi in February 2024—(KNO)