The last phase of Udhampur-Banihal rail link which will provide full train connectivity to Kashmir is nearing completion as 80 percent work is completed.
According to official documents out of 272 kms length from Udhampur to Baramulla, 161 kms have been completed. It includes Qazigund to Baramulla section 118 kms which was commissioned in phases from 2008 to 2009, Qazigund to Banihal section 18 km made in June 2013 and Udhampur to Katra section 25 km completed in July 2014.
“Present status, the balance length of 111 km from Katra to Banihal is in progress. The overall progress of Katra to Banihal section is 80 percent approx,” reads an official document.
“This section predominantly involves tunneling 97 km in addition to construction of mega bridges on Chenab River and Anji Khad, with a total 37 number of bridges. At present 85.6 km out of 97 km tunneling and 23 bridges out of 37 have been completed. In addition, a 205 Km access road has been constructed,” it reads.
Construction of wide network of access roads has provided connectivity to far flung and inaccessible remote areas, leading to socio economic development, direct and indirect employment. “Udhampur to Baramulla section i.e. USBRL Project 272 km is being executed as a National project,” the document reads.
The USBRL project involves 38 Tunnels, with a combined length of 119 Kms. The longest Tunnel length is 2015 Kms. There are 927 Bridges, with a combined length of 13 Kms. These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge, Overall length 1315 m, Arch span of 467 m and height of 359 m above river bed, which will be the highest railway bridge in the world.
Though Jammu division is connected with the rail network, the missing link between Udhampur to Banihal section has kept Kashmir disconnected from the railway network spanning across India. As a result, Kashmir is heavily dependent on the treacherous Srinagar Jammu Highway as it remains a lone surface link during winter months.