Representational image only.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Srinagar: In a step closer to railway network connectivity to Kashmir, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has officially given the green light for running trains on the newly-constructed 17-kilometer-long Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USRBL) project in the Union Territory (UT).
The CRS has granted permission for trains to operate between Shri Vaishno Devi Dham Katra and Reasi at a speed of up to 85 kilometers per hour. This marks a major milestone for the ongoing USRBL project, which aims to connect Kashmir through a modern railway network with the rest of the country.
The approval comes after thorough inspections and safety checks were conducted along the newly built stretch, officials said. Apart from this, fitness approval at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour on the loop line of the station has been given.
“The final CRS report has cleared the way to run a train between Jammu and Srinagar soon. Preparation to run Vande Bharat and DEMU and MEMU trains from Jammu to Srinagar is ongoing,” they said.
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.
Once operational, the direct train service will reduce travel time between Srinagar and Jammu from seven hours to a mere 3.5 hours, which will provide a substantial relief for commuters.
Earlier this week Minister of Railways Ashwini Viashnaw announced that a long-cherished train service between Jammu and Kashmir valley will start very soon.
The minister informed that a new Vande Bharat train has also been designed specifically for this purpose.