PM Modi to flag off Delhi-Baramulla direct train on Jan 26

Srinagar: The massive 172-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL), which will connect Kashmir to the country's rail network, is approaching completion.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) will inspect the 17-kilometer Katra-Reasi segment on January 7 and 8. It would clear the way for rail traffic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the first train from Delhi to Baramulla on January 26.

Final preparations are underway on the Katra-Reasi route, which has suffered construction challenges, particularly the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33 (formerly T1). The tunnel on the slopes of Vaishno Devi shrine took eight years to finish due to its technical intricacy.

The last electricity work is swiftly progressing and is expected to be completed soon, TNIE reported.

The 272-kilometer-long Udhampur-Baramulla railway project, which cost Rs 37,012 crores, will connect Baramulla in north Kashmir to the rest of the country via train.

Currently, rail services operate between Baramulla and Sangaldan (Ramban district). On January 7 and 8, the CRS would check the 17-kilometre route in detail, and a green signal would allow train connectivity between Delhi and Baramulla.

If everything goes as planned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to flag off the first train between Baramulla and Delhi on January 26.

It would be an important milestone in the development of Kashmir's infrastructure and economy. Northern Railways General Manager Ashok Kumar Verma stressed the need for security for the project.

“We are having regular meetings with MHA and security officials of J&K and paramilitary officials. All measures have been put in place for smooth plying of trains and safeguarding the assets,” he said.

The trains will run throughout the day, and Railways will avoid running trains in the late hours due to security concerns, as deployment on highways and other locations is reduced in the evening.

In another significant milestone, Prime Minister Modi will virtually inaugurate the Jammu Railway Division on January 6. Jammu is a part of the Northern Railways' Firozepur division.