Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has declared that a long-anticipated train service between the Jammu and Kashmir valley will shortly begin operations.
“The outstanding project to build a new railway route is a testament to engineering excellence and determination, overcoming significant geographical and climatic challenges,” he added.
A new railway line connecting Jammu and Kashmir is a major national dream that involves a great deal of complexity, the minister told the media while inspecting new Amrit Bharat train coaches and other projects at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. Six kilometres of the 111-kilometer railway route were bridges, while 97 kilometres were tunnels.
Vaishnaw added that the dream has now come true and that this is a really complicated project. Both the CRS inspection and the work have been finished. “We will start the train services” after receiving the report.
A unique Vande Bharat train has also been created especially for this use, the minister said.
Electrical lines, electronics, and the train’s attachment to the wheels are all impacted by temperatures that can dip to – 10 or minus 20 degrees. The new Vande Bharat was created with these difficulties in mind. The dream of India will soon come true because all the preparations have been finished,” he stated.
Notably, on January 8 and 9, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) inspected the Katra-Banihal railway section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link (USBRL) and found that the speed trial was good.
The Katra-Banihal segment, which connects the Kashmir Valley with the Jammu area, is an essential component of the USBRL project. Renowned for its intricate geography and engineering feats, the region is home to the world’s tallest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, as well as numerous modern tunnels and advanced safety measures.
