Ramban, Oct 07 (KNO): In a significant milestone for the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project, the 111-kilometer-long final phase connecting Banihal to Katra is entering its last leg of completion.
Union Minister of State, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the 12.77 km longest tunnel is getting ready.
In a post on X, Union Minister of State, Dr Jitendra Singh, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) stated, “The 111-km-long final phase of USBRL #Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project from #Banihal-#Katra has entered last leg of completion with Tunnel T-50 the longest at 12.77 km getting ready.”
A top railway official told KNO that the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL), spanning 272 kilometers, aims to provide a reliable transportation system to the Union Territory of J&K.
“This National Project, declared as such in 2002, addresses the challenging topography of the Himalayan terrain. It involves the construction of an impressive 38 tunnels, totalling a staggering 119 kilometers in length.”
He said the USBRL project features 927 bridges, covering a combined length of 13 kilometers. “The most iconic of these bridges is the Chenab Bridge, with an astonishing overall length of 1315 meters, an arch span of 467 meters, and an awe-inspiring height of 359 meters above the riverbed; it holds the prestigious title of being the world's highest railway bridge.”
Furthermore, the official said, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project is divided into four legs to efficiently manage its execution and progress.
“Leg-1, spanning from Udhampur to Katra over 25 kilometers, was successfully completed and commissioned in July 2014. Leg-2, the final leg of the rail link project (USBRL), covers the distance from Katra to Banihal, a substantial 111 kilometers, and is currently a work in progress, representing ongoing efforts to enhance connectivity. Leg-3, extending from Banihal to Qazigund, a total of 18 kilometers, was completed and commissioned in June 2013. Lastly, Leg-4, which stretches from Qazigund to Baramulla, covering a formidable 118 kilometers, was completed in three phases, with the final phase commissioned in October 2009,” official stated—(KNO)