Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently marked a significant milestone in Bharat’s railway infrastructure by inaugurating a 48km stretch of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). The project, costing Rs 15,863 crore, includes the country’s longest rail tunnel and is a crucial step towards connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of Bharat’s rail network.
During the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi also virtually flagged off two electric trains, enhancing connectivity between Sangaldan and Srinagar. However, despite this achievement, there remains approximately 63km of the USBRL yet to be commissioned, indicating delays in connecting the Valley with the national rail grid.
The recently inaugurated Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section, which incorporates the Sangaldan Tunnel, spanning 12.77km, represents a significant engineering feat. This tunnel is part of the 111km Banihal-Katra stretch, which forms the final leg of the 272km Udhampur-Baramulla rail link.
According to the Northern Railway, trains can now operate from Baramulla to Sangaldan via Banihal. Once the entire USBRL is operational in the coming months, passengers will benefit from infrastructural marvels such as the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, and the Anji Bridge, the Bharatiya Railways’ first cable-stayed bridge.
Despite these advancements, the USBRL project’s total cost is estimated to reach Rs 41,119 crore, reflecting the scale and complexity of the endeavor. Railway authorities have been striving to complete the project, which has been in progress for decades, with various governments setting and missing deadlines over the years.
The dream of connecting Kashmir with Kanyakumari through a rail link, initially proposed by Dogra ruler Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1898, has faced numerous setbacks. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s assertion that the project would be completed by March 2024 appears increasingly unlikely, given the persistent delays.
Prime Minister Modi, while addressing a gathering in Jammu, expressed optimism about the project’s progress but refrained from setting a definitive deadline. Some reports suggest that the USBRL may be completed by July or August, but railway officials have not provided confirmation.
A recent government report highlighted the USBRL project’s extensive delay, spanning 20 years and 15 months, making it one of the most prolonged among the 848 projects monitored nationwide. The journey towards completing the Jammu-Baramulla rail link, which began in 1983, has been marked by intermittent progress and missed deadlines, with significant milestones achieved only in recent years.
With the inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link stretch, Bharat takes a step closer to fulfilling a long-standing aspiration of connecting the picturesque Kashmir Valley with the country’s vast rail network. However, challenges persist, and the completion of the entire USBRL project remains eagerly anticipated by millions awaiting seamless connectivity across the nation.
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