Talking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “1st trial train has successfully run from Sangaldan to Reasi, including crossing the Chenab Bridge.All construction works for the USBRL are nearly finished, with only tunnel No.1 remaining partially incomplete.”
As the ministry moves closer to its ambitious project, the commissioner of railways safety (CRS) D C Deshwal will conduct a two-day inspection of the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section, an official said on Sunday.
The inspection is scheduled scheduled for June 27 and 28, according to Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway. Kumar assured that the necessary works will be finished before the CRS inspection.
The USBRL project, spanning 272 km, has seen 209 km commissioned in phases since its inception in 1997. The remaining 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra is expected to be completed by the end of the year, finally connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country by train. This ambitious project has faced numerous challenges due to geological, topographical, and meteorological factors.
Sources in the Railways indicate that the inaugural train between Sangaldan and Reasi is likely to run on June 30, following a successful electric engine trial on the track. Last month, Shobhan Chaudhuri, the General Manager of Northern Railway, inspected the Chenab Bridge and the Bakkal-Duggar-Sawalkote-Sangaldan section to assess various aspects of the project.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh took to ‘X’ to announce, “The train service from #Ramban (Sangaldan) to #Reasi via the world’s highest railway bridge built on river Chenab to begin soon. The #Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (#USBRL) project will be completed by year-end.”
The Chenab rail bridge, an engineering marvel standing 359 meters above the riverbed and 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower, is a crucial link in the project. The Jammu and Kashmir Administration plans to develop the bridge as a tourist attraction.
(With inputs from agency)
