Good news for Jammu and Kashmir! The much-awaited Katra-Banihal rail route will be opened soon for movement of trains. For this, the Indian Railways has edged closer to connect Kashmir valley to the rest of the country by completing 95 percent of the work on the 111 km long stretch of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) project.
Construction status of Katra-Banihal rail line:-
The national transporter is working round-the-clock to complete the pending work in the valley. The construction work on the remaining part is in full swing. The railways has already commissioned 161 km out of 272-kilometre of the tracks.
Addressing the media, SP Mahi, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), USBRL said, “out of the 272 km USBRL project, 161 Km of Railway track has already been commissioned. On the remaining 111 km. long Katra- Banihal section, the ongoing work is completed up to 95% in spite of all types of geological, topographical, and meteorological challenges.”
GM, Northern Railway inspected various railway works of USBRL project
Last week, Shobhan Chaudhuri, General Manager (GM), Northern Railway (NR) zone, carried out an intensive inspection of the USBRL project and other ongoing railway works in the Union Territory. He commenced his inspection from Katra onwards by motor trolley up to tunnel T1 and thereafter conducted an exhaustive inspection and review of tunnel T1 at the site.
The General Manager directed all officers and staff to work in earnest ensuring all safety precautions and complete the work of the T1 tunnel. The work for completion of T1 tunnel is undoubtedly the most challenging geology of the Himalayas. Chaudhuri also visited the Chenab bridge and held a detailed inspection from Chenab Bridge to Dugga station. He asked the authorities to expedite the electrical and S&T works of the project.