<p>Kashmir is all set to get its first electric train on October 2 as trial runs on 137-kilometer Banihal-Baramulla rail corridor will be conducted later this month.</p>.<p>The electrification work on Baramulla-Budgam sector was completed in May-June this year, while work on the Budgam-Banihal sector will be completed soon, Chief Area Manager Kashmir Northern Railways Saqib Yousuf said.</p>.<p>The mandatory principal chief electrical engineer (PCEE) inspection of the electric rail link will take place on September 26 and on Gandhi Jayanti, the project will be inaugurated, he said.</p>.<p>The project has come up at a cost of Rs 324 crore and the 137-kilometer railway track has three main sub-stations - Qazigund, Budgam, and Baramulla - from where power will be supplied to the overhead equipment of the rail line. There would also be ten power switching stations in the Banihal-Baramulla section.</p>.<p>The electrification of the rail link is expected to reduce air pollution manifold and is also expected to bring down the operational cost by 60 per cent.</p>.<p>The overhead electrification for the train service was supposed to start in June 2019 and it was scheduled to be completed by June 2021. However, the work on the project started only last year as delay occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an official said.</p>.<p>The Government of India plans to connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari through train service and work on the project has been going on for years. However, it has been delayed due to several reasons which include hilly terrain where the train has to pass.</p>.<p>The intra-Kashmir train was flagged off by then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in October 2008 from Nowgam station in Srinagar. Having a rail link between the Valley and the outside world has been a dream of the locals for decades.<br /> </p>
<p>Kashmir is all set to get its first electric train on October 2 as trial runs on 137-kilometer Banihal-Baramulla rail corridor will be conducted later this month.</p>.<p>The electrification work on Baramulla-Budgam sector was completed in May-June this year, while work on the Budgam-Banihal sector will be completed soon, Chief Area Manager Kashmir Northern Railways Saqib Yousuf said.</p>.<p>The mandatory principal chief electrical engineer (PCEE) inspection of the electric rail link will take place on September 26 and on Gandhi Jayanti, the project will be inaugurated, he said.</p>.<p>The project has come up at a cost of Rs 324 crore and the 137-kilometer railway track has three main sub-stations - Qazigund, Budgam, and Baramulla - from where power will be supplied to the overhead equipment of the rail line. There would also be ten power switching stations in the Banihal-Baramulla section.</p>.<p>The electrification of the rail link is expected to reduce air pollution manifold and is also expected to bring down the operational cost by 60 per cent.</p>.<p>The overhead electrification for the train service was supposed to start in June 2019 and it was scheduled to be completed by June 2021. However, the work on the project started only last year as delay occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an official said.</p>.<p>The Government of India plans to connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari through train service and work on the project has been going on for years. However, it has been delayed due to several reasons which include hilly terrain where the train has to pass.</p>.<p>The intra-Kashmir train was flagged off by then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in October 2008 from Nowgam station in Srinagar. Having a rail link between the Valley and the outside world has been a dream of the locals for decades.<br /> </p>
