For years, Jammu-Kashmir lagged behind other parts of the nation in railway connectivity, but with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi leadership at the federal level, tremendous progress has been achieved in tying the region to the rest of the nation.
Following the official opening of the 25-kilometre Udhampur-Katra railway line in July 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the public that Kashmir would be connected to and merged with the rest of the country under his administration.
The current administration is willing to fulfil Prime Minister Modi’s commitment. A railway network will link North Kashmir’s Baramulla to Kanyakumari before the end of the year.
The construction of the rail link between Katra and Banihal was accelerated during PM Modi’s first term. Prime Minister Modi established a timeline for the completion of the rail project that would provide Kashmir with all-weather connectivity during his second term.
In 1997, the first stone was laid for the railway project that would link Kashmir and Kanyakumari. However, the project’s development progressed rather slowly. But under PM Modi, finishing it received special attention.
Officials claim that up until 2014, the Northern Railways received only 700–800 crores of rupees annually. But the 2023–24 Railway Budget provided Rs 6,000 crore for the J–K railway project.
By the next year, the region will also be served by the specially constructed “Vande Bharat” trains. The completion of the railway line connecting Kashmir and Kanyakumari is anticipated for this year.
The construction of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line is currently almost finished. The Chenab and Anji bridges, as well as significant tunnels, are nearing completion.
One of the tallest buildings in the world and taller than the Eiffel Tower is the Chenab railway bridge, which is hailed as an “engineering marvel.”
Everything has been thoroughly researched, including high-velocity winds, harsh temperatures, earthquake-prone regions, and hydrological impact.
J-K’s special status was abolished by the BJP-led Centre on August 5, 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged that J-K would receive the best infrastructure and facilities in the nation and the world.
The engineering survey for a 50 km rail link between Baramulla and Uri has reportedly been put out to bid, according to the officials. The Ministry of Railways is seeking recommendations as Northern Railways prepares to begin the Baramulla-Uri line’s Final Location Survey.
The completion of Northern Railways’ network from South to North India will be made possible by the frontier territory of Uri having train access.
Notably, the 18 km stretch of the Banihal-Qazigund railway line opened in June 2013, while the 25-kilometre segment connecting Udhampur and Katra did so in July 2014. The 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla railway line was inaugurated in October 2009.
The 111-kilometre Katra-Banihal stretch, which was delayed in some way until 2014, is also almost finished.
It would put an end to people’s reliance on the 270-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which is frequently closed owing to landslides, especially during the winter.
The airline monopoly would vanish thanks to train connectivity. When the railway begins to run between Baramulla and Jammu, prices will stay under control since passengers will have another choice.
Under the current administration, what has been impossible for the past 70 years is almost finished, and it is anticipated that this will bring Jammu-Kashmir even closer to the rest of the nation. (ANI)
