Baramulla-Uri new line, Banihal-Baramulla doubling survey completed, DPR prepared: Vaishnaw

Jammu, Dec 5: Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that to improve and extend the rail connectivity in Kashmir region, survey of Baramulla-Uri new line (46 km) and Banihal-Baramulla doubling (118 km) has been completed and Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared.

“After preparation of DPR, sanctioning of project requires consultation with various stake-holders, including state governments and necessary approvals viz, appraisal of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance etc. As sanctioning of projects is a continuous and dynamic process, exact timelines depend upon appraisals and approvals by various stakeholders,” he has informed.

The Union Minister shared this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Vaishnaw also revealed that the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project generated more than 5 crore man-days of employment. The project also helped apple farmers in transporting apples to different parts of the country and besides, providing connectivity, it also helped industry stakeholders in transporting commodities like cement to the valley.

Indian Railways' first cable-stayed bridge has been constructed over Anji Khad in the USBRL project. Its bridge deck is 331 m above the river bed level and height of its main pylon is 193 m.

“Another crucial facet of the USBRL project’s socio-economic development efforts has been the construction of over 215 km of approach roads, which include construction of a tunnel and 320 small bridges. This road network has helped the local population in improving their connectivity with other areas. It has also made substantial socio-economic contributions to the region, with employment generation being a significant aspect of its impact. The project has generated more than 5 Cr man-days of employment,” Vaishnaw stated.

After commissioning of the project, Indian Railways have introduced 4 Vande Bharat service “Further, 6 pairs of DEMU and MEMU services are catering to the Qazigund-Srinagar sector while 5 pairs of DEMU and MEMU services are catering to the Srinagar-Baramulla sector. With the all-weather, reliable and comfortable rail connectivity of the valley portion with the rest of the Indian railway network, tourism gets a big boost,” the Union Minister said.

Detailing about revolutionary economic activities following commissioning of the USBRL project, Vaishnaw said, “It has helped the apple farmers in transporting apples to different parts of the country, provided train connectivity and eased passenger flow towards Kashmir. It has also helped in transporting commodities like cement and other commodities to the valley.”