KINS Desk
Srinagar, August 09 (KINS): The first loaded freight train arrived at Anantnag Railway Station on Saturday.
This historic development marks the operational start of the Banihal–Sangaldan–Reasi–Katra segment of the ambitious Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the event as a “great day for commerce and connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir”, highlighting that the new freight link will not only improve trade but also bring prosperity to the region.
The arrival of the freight service integrated the Kashmir Valley into the national freight corridor for the first time, enabling goods to be transported directly from across India to the valley. This is expected to reduce logistics costs, ensure year-round supply of essential commodities, and open new trade routes despite weather challenges.
The USBRL project, stretching 272 kilometres and passing through eight districts, is an engineering marvel. It features the world’s tallest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Reasi district—359 metres high and 1,315 metres long—as well as India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge across Anji Khad, with a deck 331 metres above the riverbed.
Beyond its engineering achievements, the project has delivered significant socio-economic benefits, generating over 5 crore man-days of employment, building 215 kilometres of approach roads, 320 small bridges, and numerous tunnels to improve local connectivity. Safety measures, including advanced ventilation and firefighting systems in long tunnels, meet global standards.
“Today (9.8.2025) first freight train reached the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed in the Kashmir Valley from Punjab, marking a significant milestone in connecting the Kashmir region to the national freight network,” Ashwani Vaishnaw posted on X as per KINS.
“Transportation by railway network will reduce cost for our citizens living in Kashmir valley,” he added.(KINS)
