Kashmir rail connectivity tops Vaishnaw’s agenda

Rail connectivity to the Kashmir valley has been a long-pending project of the NDA government, and it missed the completion deadline before the Lok Sabha elections. This issue is now top of the 100-day agenda of the railway ministry, with the Centre looking to make it operational before the announcement of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. 

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), a stretch providing Kashmir-Kanyakumari rail connectivity spanning 272 km passing through the picturesque Chenab Bridge, was slated to reach Srinagar by February. However, it could not take off due to pending work on the stretch.

The Railways also plans to run a Vande Bharat train between Udhampur and Baramulla. The USBRL will ensure all-weather rail connectivity to the valley. 

Sources in the railway ministry said that fast-tracking infrastructure-related projects, including the completion of rail connectivity from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, are part of the agenda prepared by the Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

“The government would like to make the rail line operational before the elections, and railways have been asked to expedite the pending work on the route,” the sources added. 

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir could be announced after the Budget session next month, according to some media reports. The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench has also directed the central government to hold the state polls by September 30, as the delimitation and voter list revision work have been completed.

During the Lok Sabha elections, Jammu and Kashmir saw a decent overall turnout of 58.58%, while 51.05% turned out in the valley. 

In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a section of the project between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan (48 km) and the newly electrified Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 km).

The PM also flagged off the first electric train in the valley and train service between Sangaldan station and Baramulla station. The commissioning of the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section is significant as it features the use of Ballast Less Track (BLT) all along the route, providing a better riding experience for the passengers.