Very important from Kashmir's religious, tourism and connectivity point of view: Railway official on USBRL project

ANI April 10, 2025 215 views

The ambitious USBRL project represents a major breakthrough in connecting Kashmir through rail infrastructure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate this 272-kilometer railway line on April 19, featuring a remarkable 119-kilometer tunnel. Two Vande Bharat Express trains will commence operations, marking a significant milestone in regional connectivity. The project promises to enhance tourism, religious pilgrimage, and strategic access to the Kashmir valley.

"It has been the dream of every Indian to have a train running to Kashmir" - Dilip Kumar, Railway Board ED/IP
New Delhi, April 10: Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP) at the Railway Board, on Thursday highlighted the significance of the 272-kilometre USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) project, which includes a 119-kilometre tunnel.

Key Points

1

First rail link connecting strategic Kashmir region

2

World's highest railway bridge included in project

3

Two Vande Bharat trains to launch simultaneously

4

Designed for challenging Himalayan climate conditions

New Delhi [India], April 10 (ANI): Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP) at the Railway Board, on Thursday highlighted the significance of the 272-kilometre USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) project, which includes a 119-kilometre tunnel.

Speaking to ANI, Kumar asserted that the project is expected to boost connectivity, tourism, and religious significance for the Kashmir region.

"It has been the dream of every Indian to have a train running to Kashmir. For this, we have made long preparations, and now this USBRL section is ready. There is a 119-kilometre tunnel in this 272-kilometre section. This entire area is very important from the religious, tourism and connectivity point of view of Kashmir," Kumar said.

He further mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the USBRL project on April 19.

"The Prime Minister is going to dedicate this entire project to the country, this will benefit the people of the country a lot. According to the planning so far, Prime Minister Modi will dedicate this project to the nation on April 19," Dilip Kumar said.

He further pointed out that on the day of its inauguration, two Vande Bharat Express trains will begin service, one running from Srinagar and the other from Katra to Srinagar.

"On the date of commencement of the project, we have planned to run two Vande Bharat Express trains. One Vande Bharat Express train will run from Srinagar and the other will run from Katra to Srinagar," the Railway Board Executive Director said.

On January 23, Indian Railways conducted the trial run of the first Vande Bharat train from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) railway station to the Srinagar railway station. The train will run through Anji Khad Bridge which is India's first cable-stayed railway bridge and Chenab Bridge which is the highest railway bridge in the world.

This train has been designed keeping in mind the cold climate conditions of the Kashmir valley.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is such an incredible engineering feat! Connecting Kashmir by rail will be transformative for tourism and local economy. Can't wait to take my family on this scenic route 🚞
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Priya M.
While I appreciate the connectivity aspect, I hope they've done proper environmental impact assessments for such massive tunneling projects in the Himalayas. Sustainability should be prioritized.
A
Amit S.
The Chenab Bridge looks absolutely breathtaking in pictures! This will definitely become an iconic landmark. Great job by the engineers and workers who made this possible 👏
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Sunita R.
As someone from Kashmir, I'm excited but also cautious. Hope this brings economic benefits to locals and not just outside businesses. The train design for cold climate is a thoughtful touch.
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Vikram J.
The 119km tunnel is mind-blowing! That's longer than many metro systems. This project will make pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi so much more accessible for elderly devotees.

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Tags:
Kashmir Railway Udhampur-Srinagar Rail Link Vande Bharat Express Narendra Modi Indian Railways Infrastructure Development
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