Srinagar: The freshly built 17-kilometer Katra-Reasi rail route has been approved for public carriage of goods and passenger traffic by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), making the dream of connecting Kashmir and Kanyakumari by rail a reality, according to railway officials.
A seven-page letter of approval from CRS Dinesh Chand Deshwal gives the go-ahead for the newly built broad-gauge line between Katra and Reasi stations to open for passenger and freight traffic. This completes the Firozpur section of Northern Railways’ Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla new broad-gauge rail link project.
In January of last year, the CRS inspected the recently built track using a motor trolley and on foot. A speed test was then conducted on the whole Katra to Banihal segment.An inspection special equipped with OMS equipment and pulled by an electric locomotive was used to conduct the speed trial in both up and down directions, from Katra to Banihal and vice versa.
Throughout the testing, the average speed was 110 km/h; no peaks above 0.15g were noted. “I am of the opinion that the provisions for the opening of public carriage of goods and passenger traffic have been met, based on completion documents and safety certificates attesting to the satisfactory completion of works, as well as on sample checks carried out during my inspection.”
Subject to adherence to a number of rules, regulations and requirements, the CRS has approved the section’s regular opening for the public carriage of people and freight traffic at a maximum allowable speed of 85 km/h on the main line and 15 km/h on turnouts.
According to the letter, the railway will start train operations soon after this license is issued, and the commission will be informed when passenger services will be introduced.
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project began construction in 2005–06. In October 2009, the 118-kilometer Qazigund-Baramulla rail segment in Kashmir was opened. In June 2013 and July 2014, the 25 km Udhampur-Katra and 18 km Banihal-Qazigund portions were put into service. Last year, the Sangaldan-Banihal segment was finished and put into service.The 38-tunnel railway line to Kashmir includes the nation’s largest rail tunnel, T-49, which is 12.75 km long. There are 927 bridges on the line.
It includes the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab river in the Reasi district, which sits at an elevation of 359 metres.
