Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Credit: PTI File Photo
Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first-ever train service connecting Katra, the base camp of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji shrine, to Baramulla on April 19, fulfilling a long-anticipated dream of direct rail access for Kashmir.
While train services currently operate between Sangaldan and Baramulla, as well as from various parts of the country to Katra, this new service will be the first to directly link the holy Shrine’s base camp with the Kashmir Valley, significantly enhancing connectivity for pilgrims, tourists, and local residents.
The inauguration event will take place at Katra railway station, with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, among others, in attendance.
After several successful trial runs and necessary safety and security clearances, the Prime Minister has officially approved the launch of the new service. The new rail link is expected to improve the travel experience for visitors to Kashmir while also fostering economic growth by enabling quicker and more efficient transportation of goods and services.
Jitendra Singh confirmed that the Prime Minister will inaugurate the train services from Katra to the Valley on April 19.
Sources revealed that Modi will arrive at the Udhampur Army airport from New Delhi on the morning of April 19 and then visit the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Reasi district. He will inspect the bridge, an engineering marvel recognised globally, and receive a briefing from railway officials on its construction and other related aspects.
Following his visit to the bridge, Modi will proceed to Katra to flag off the new train service. He will also address a rally in the holy town before returning to New Delhi from the Udhampur Army airport.
Initially, the train will operate between Katra and Baramulla. However, once the expansion work at Jammu Railway Station is completed, including the addition of more platforms, the service is expected to be extended from Jammu, likely by July-August, officials said.
While there will be no direct trains from Delhi or other parts of the country to Kashmir at first, passengers will need to change trains at Katra. In the future, this will be shifted to Jammu, with more details expected to be announced in the coming days.
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which began in 2005-06, has been phased into sections. The 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla stretch in Kashmir was inaugurated in October 2009, followed by the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund and 25-km Udhampur-Katra sections, which were completed in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The 48.1-kilometre long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch was inaugurated in February, last year while the work on the 46- kilometre Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June last year, leaving a total of 17-kilometer stretch between Reasi and Katra which was completed nearly three months back leading to start of different trials of trains including that of Vande Bharat.
The USBRL project stretching over 272 km in length, features 38 tunnels, with the longest being T-49 at 12.75 km, marking it as India's lengthiest transportation tunnel.