The first direct train from Kashmir to Delhi is set to begin operations in January, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to inaugurate the remaining 17-km stretch of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project between Reasi and Katra next month. The train will cover a distance of 800 km in under 13 hours, sources revealed.
The new 62-km track, with 45 km already completed, connects Katra and Sangaldan. Trial runs are underway on the stretch between Sangaldan and Reasi, which also features the world’s highest bridge over the Chenab River. Senior railway officials conducted a three-day inspection of the track between Sangaldan and Reasi from June 26 to 28 earlier this year. Work on the remaining 17 km, which includes four stations between Reasi and Katra, as well as the T33 tunnel, is nearing completion. The stretch is expected to be ready for trials by December 20, according to sources.
Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, mentioned that the inauguration could take place in the first month of next year when the Prime Minister’s schedule allows.
Currently, Kashmir has a limited railway service running between Sangaldan-Banihal in Jammu and Srinagar-Baramulla in the Valley. The Jammu side is well-connected to the Indian Railways network, with trains running up to Udhampur and Katra.
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The USBRL Project was initially approved by the PV Narasimha Rao government in 1995 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore. The project gained significant momentum after being declared a national project by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002. The first phase of the project, covering the 118-km Baramulla-Qazigund section, was completed in 2009, with further extensions to Banihal and Udhampur by 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The final phase of the project, expected to cost over Rs 35,000 crore, will bring direct Vande Bharat trains to Delhi by January. This new train service will significantly benefit Kashmir’s economy by enabling faster, more affordable transportation of goods such as apples, dry fruits, pashmina shawls, and handicrafts to other parts of the country. It is also expected to reduce transportation costs for daily essentials entering the Valley.
Four cargo terminals will be constructed between Banihal and Baramulla, with land identified for three of them, further enhancing the region’s connectivity.