PM flags off Sangaldan-Banihal-Srinagar-Baramulla train service

Ramban, Feb 20: In a historic movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first and extended electric train service between Sangaldan-Banihal-Srinagar-Baramulla of the USBRL project.

The stretch from Sangaldan to Banihal on the Katra-Banihal section of the USBRL Project was recently completed and it was dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister virtually dedicated the rail line on the 48.1 km of extended railway line from Sangaldan to Banihal to the nation and also virtually inaugurated the electrification of the Baramulla -Sangaldan Railway. Hundreds of locals including children and employees enjoyed a free train ride today.

Amid heavy rains and severe cold, hundreds of jubilant people from Sangaldan and adjoining areas assembled at Railway Station Sangaldan and watched the flag-off ceremony on big LCD screens there (Sangaldan Railway station) and other places of the district.

The Sangaldan of Ramban would connect and provide all-weather connectivity to the people of the area with valley Kashmir.

Tuesday afternoon the Prime Minister flagged off the first Electric train from Sangaldan to Srinagar via Sumbar and Khari thereby fulfilling the dream of locals of Sangaldan and adjoining areas. Enthusiastic people including women and children came out of their homes and assembled on both sides of the railway track on the hilltops to witness the first train chugging along the Sangaldan-Sumbar-Khari track.

People of Gool, Sangaldan, Sumbar Ramban and adjoining districts have expressed their joy of having a train service after Independence.

A group of people from Sangaldan said, “Our area is located 40 to 50 kms from district headquarters Ramban and Srinagar Jammu National Highway. Now after the opening of the rail service between Sangaldan and Srinagar, we can easily reach hospitals and educational institutions.”

They said, “Earlier we had to spend a lot of money on travel, transportation to take a patient to hospital.”

With the start of the train service and stations in Sangaldan, Sumbar and Khari the villagers can travel easily to Banihal and Srinagar, for educational and healthcare purposes and return the same day.

“The new rail line brings immense joy to the people of Ramban and adjoining districts of the Jammu region as the decades-old dream is fulfilled,” they said.

They described the inauguration of the new rail line as a “historic moment” and said the start of the rail service would transform the lives of the people, especially the poor and downtrodden sections of society.

DDC chairperson Dr Shamshaad Shaan said that the start of train service between Srinagar and Sangaldan was a dream come true for people here and it would transform the economy and development of Gool tehsil by promoting tourism and economic activity in the area.

They said rail connectivity would provide round-the-year mobility and would facilitate easy access to markets, promote business and help employment generation.

Scores of villages of Gool, Sangaldan, Banihal, Ramban, Khari, Mahore, Pogal Paristan and Ramsoo tehsils would benefit by the start of the train service.

The train would also boost the government's efforts to bring Mahu Valley in Khari tehsil of Ramban district on the tourism map.

According to Executive Director Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd L Prakash, the train service will run regularly between Sangaldan and Srinagar from tomorrow.

He informed, “Every morning at 7.25 am and afternoon at 2.20 pm a train will depart from Sangaldan while every day trains will arrive at Sangaldan at 1.45 pm and 6.55 pm.”

In Ramban district headquarters, led by Deputy Commissioner Ramban Basheer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary, the district and sectoral officers along with prominent locals watched the live programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on an LCD screen.