Exciting Milestone: Train to Kashmir Nearing Completion with Safety Approval – A Transformative Journey Awaits!
The much-anticipated rail link to Kashmir is set to begin operations, as officials announced the completion of the final leg, the 17-km Katra-Reasi section. This development follows the approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), signaling the culmination of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla project. Dinesh Chand Deshwal, CRS for the Northern Circle, confirmed that after a thorough investigation, the infrastructure was found to be outstanding with no deficiencies.
Due to prevailing security concerns, trains will run exclusively during daylight hours on this route. The CRS has sanctioned a maximum speed of 85 km/h between Katra and Reasi, and 15 km/h for loop lines, leading to preparations for operating various trains, including Vande Bharat, Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU), and Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains from Jammu to Srinagar.
Initiated in 1994-95, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla project saw its first three phases completed by 2014. While trains have been operational between Banihal and Baramulla and from Jammu to Katra, the Katra-Banihal section posed significant construction challenges due to its harsh terrain. This section includes 97 km of tunnels and 7 km of bridges, featuring the world’s highest arch bridge on the Chenab River, constructed using rock-bolting methods with massive steel reinforcement.
The completion of the 48-km Banihal-Sangaldan segment in February 2024 and the Sangaldan-Reasi section in July paved the way for the final CRS-approved Katra-Reasi link. Enhanced safety measures like tunnel cameras have been installed, and a network of 215 km of roads was developed to facilitate access to the project sites.
The first train to traverse this newly connected route will be an eight-coach Jammu-Kashmir Vande Bharat train, engineered to withstand temperatures as low as -20°C, bringing the dream of a direct train to Kashmir closer to reality.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/business/train-kashmir-railway-approval-katra-resai-9780281/
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Publish Date: 2025-01-16 02:12:00
