Kashmir is to witness a landmark change in the transportation infrastructure with the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, or USBRL, to complete soon. The Northern Railway General Manager, Ashok Verma, confirmed that the last stages of the rail link project are now in motion and that operation will be initiated as early as January. This gigantic project is to link Kashmir to the rest of India by rail, changing travel and trade forever in the region.
Historical milestone for Kashmir.
The Udhampur-Baramulla Rail Link is the long overdue project that will bring a sea change in accessibility between Kashmir and the rest of the country. General Manager Ashok Verma was confident that the project would be completed soon as the final tunnel in the Reasi area, which is called T-33, was expected to be completed in a week. This would be a landmark not only for the project but also for the people of Kashmir when it is completed.
Verma said that track-laying work for the project has been done and electrical work is almost over. The final stage of the project also includes a very crucial inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, CRS, which will take place in the next 15 days. From there on, trains including Vande Bharat Express will start running on this newly created route.
Reasi Tunnel Nearing Completion
One of the last steps in the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, after Tunnel T-33 Reasi, is completed. Its 3.2 km of lengths are located at the foothills of Vaishno Devi, linking Katra with Reasi, and have an important function for smooth rail connectivity from Kashmir to Delhi, of which it is part of the final link of a 17 kilometer stretch.
This tunnel, which was once a thorn in the flesh of the project, has now been completed. The work on the tunnel, which was once known as T-1, has been going on for years because of the difficult terrain and weather conditions in the region. With the tunnel now at its final stages of construction, officials are optimistic that rail services will soon be up and running.
Enhanced Connectivity for Kashmir
The completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link will be a landmark shift for Kashmir. It will benefit tourism as the train link will open up access to the Valley more readily, but it will also influence trade, business, and commuting. The rail services would provide a faster and much more efficient means of getting people and goods around, making economic opportunities and fostering greater regional integration.
Once the rail link opens, all trains including the world-class Vande Bharat Express will begin operating daily between Kashmir and the rest of India, thus benefitting the locals more than one ways and at the same time boost tourism, a mainstay source of revenue in this area.
Future Opportunities and Advantages
The completion of the USBRL project is likely to be of great social and economic changes to the Kashmir region. With the rail link connecting some of the major cities of Jammu, Srinagar, and Baramulla, it will reduce reliance on road transport, which frequently gets affected by unfavorable climatic conditions. Also, the rail link will make it easier for businesses in the area to improve their logistical efficiency so that Kashmir becomes better connected to the rest of the national economy.
It forms a part of the vision that enhances infrastructure in the region. It fits well within the government’s push to achieve better connectivity and develop the region in Jammu and Kashmir. It forms an important component of the larger plan with services extended to other important areas within the region that will strengthen the rail network and accessibility.
Conclusion: New Era of Connectivity for Kashmir
The completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link marks another momentous event in Kashmir and, as such for the people in Kashmir in general. That happens by a finished rail link-the last one of seven tunnels to come shortly in the next couple of days or even earlier for completion into the coming week-end marks for the beginning of a new era concerning the linkage – a sign of all nice things on board about to come that will join the transport matrix by operation in the third week of January when service comes into operation.
The transportation system in Kashmir is all set for a total revamp within the next few months, offering better economic prospects, better access to basic services, and avenues for growth. The rail link represents not only transportation but progress, proving that this region will rise above challenges.
Refer :
ET, Link to article
Also read : VIKALP Scheme: More Than 57,000 Passengers Given Alternative Accommodation in 2023-24