Railway track from Reasi to Katra to be ready by December 20
Banihal, Nov 17: In a move aimed at improving connectivity with Kashmir, the New Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express is set to start in January 2025.
The train will cover a distance of 800 km in less than 13 hours.
The semi-high speed train will depart from New Delhi at 7 pm and reach Srinagar at 8 am the next day. A trial train is currently being run between Sangaldan and Reasi.
This section also has the highest bridge on the Chenab River from where a trial run of an electronic train has also been conducted.
Engineers working here say that the Director Safety, Railways, inspected the track between Sangaldan and Reasi for the second time three days ago and reviewed the track and work from Reasi to Katra.
They said that the issue of running a train between Sangaldan and Reasi had been postponed and now it had been decided to simultaneously run a train from Sangaldan to Katra.
Engineers say that work is currently underway on Tunnel T33 and will be completed in about a month.
Officials said, “The work will be completed on all 4 stations between Reasi and Katra by December 20, after which the Director Safety will observe a trial train run for 15 days till January 5.”
According to officials, after January 5, the remaining work on this track would be completed. Officials of Northern Railway said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would probably dedicate the New Delhi-Baramulla railway line to the nation on January 26.
Officials said that basically, trial train running will take place from January 5 and during this time a decision could also be made to run large passenger trains. Along with this, there will also be a trial run of electric trains.
Every effort is being made to complete the 17-km long railway line between Reasi and Katra and start rail service from Udhampur to Baramulla.
The 48-km section between Banihal and Sangaldan was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February this year while most of the work on the 46-km railway line from Sangaldan to Reasi has been completed and the Commissioner of Railway Safety has also inspected this sector.
An official said that Tunnel No 1 was laid in December 2023, but the experience of working inside this tunnel was a headache due to geographical issues and now modern technology has been used to make this tunnel serviceable.
He said that water was coming inside some parts of the tunnel, which had now been blocked.
The official said 1500 meters of railway line had been laid inside the 3200-meter-long Tunnel No 1 near Katra, while electrical work had also been completed on about 2 km.
There are 27 tunnels and 37 bridges in the 111-km section between Banihal and Katra.
Historical Background
The Kashmir Rail Project was approved in 1995 by the government of the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and in 2002 during the government of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Kashmir Rail Project was declared a national project.
In 2009, the first phase of the 118-km Baramulla-Qazigund section of the Kashmir Rail Project was completed.
In 2013, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dedicated the 18-km section between Qazigund and Banihal to the nation.
In 2014, the 25-km section between Udhampur-Katra was completed and rail service was started on it.
In February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the rail service between Banihal and Sangaldan.
Now, by the beginning of next year 2025, the dream of the Kashmir Rail Project will be fulfilled by completing the 63-km section between Sangaldan and Katra, which is being seen as a major chapter in the development and economy of Jammu and Kashmir.
