Meher Wani
The dream of Kashmir Valley to connect with the rest of the country has remained a long pending dream for more than 7 decades, the topography of Kashmir which is full of difficult geography has made commuting to the region all the more difficult.
The dream has got pace and soon it will become a full-fledged reality bringing much cheer to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The often closure of the National Highway lone road link from Kashmir to the rest of the country due to often weather havoc had compounded the problem.
Masses are delighted about the steps taken by the Government of India in getting rail to Kashmir.
Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India. Railways also make it possible to conduct many activities like business, sightseeing, and pilgrimage along with transportation of goods over longer distances.
The full-fledged rail link from Kashmir to other parts of the country gives a great boost to the Horticulture sector of Jammu and Kashmir as transport of Agriculture and Horticulture items would become much faster and there would be less danger of items of Kashmir becoming stale.
It is learned that the work of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project which will connect Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, is going on in full swing. The Railways has put the deadline of its completion in April 2023.
The platforms and tracks will be built at a height of more than that of Qutab Minar and the running of trains at such height are no less than a miracle, as per the ground facts.
Northern Railway has observed that work on the rest of the 111 km, of the total 272 km stretch, is going on at a fast pace. Of the 111 km stretch, 58 km will pass through a tunnel.
While the Baramulla Banihal long stretches and Udhampur to Jammu already stand completed. It is a matter of pride that The Northern Railways have directed its officials to complete the electrification of the 137-kilometer-long Baramulla-Banihal railway section before August 15 this year.
The total route length for electrification is 137.73 kilometers with three main sub-stations of Qazigund, Budgam, and Baramulla from where power will be supplied to the overhead equipment of the rail line.
The railways have always had their own marvels in their history. The rail link to Kashmir is also full of marvels. It is no mean feat that the world’s highest rail bridge, which is being built over river Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir will soon bring all-weather rail connectivity to Kashmir, the Ministry of Railways said. The bridge will provide the much-needed all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country. “With 88 percent completion of deck launching, Chenab bridge will soon bring all-weather rail connectivity to Kashmir.
Railways have completed over 50% work on the Anji Khad Bridge under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project. The Union Ministry of Railways posted several pictures of the under-construction bridge while sharing the progress report on Twitter recently.
Currently, the work on the intervening 111 km of Katra-Banihal section is going on in full swing despite challenging and inhospitable terrain.
It is now a matter of time before Kashmir will get its rail connectivity to the rest of the country soon. The rail work post-Abrogation of article 370 has received much swift approach and the lethargy is gone, and soon the historic rail link to Kashmir with the rest of India is reality. It will connect hearts and minds in a way that is more dynamic. Every sector of Kashmir is delighted with the coming of train, as it is great news.
Kashmir would also see less number of traffic accidents and deaths in it after the completion of train link, as fragile road link is always challenging and full of risk. The travel to and from Kashmir to the rest of the country will become even more swift. This will usher in a great era of progress and prosperity for Jammu and Kashmir.
