By: Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar, June 22: The completion of the Sangaldan to Reasi railway line is imminent, marking a significant advancement in the Jammu-Srinagar rail line project. According to official sources, the first train between Sangaldan and Reasi is anticipated to commence service by the end of this month, representing a crucial milestone in linking Reasi district in Jammu to Kashmir via railway.
Top railway officials will conduct final inspections of the Sangaldan-Reasi section, which includes the world’s highest steel arch rail bridge over the Chenab and several major tunnels, later this month. “If all goes well, regular train services will commence by the end of this month or first week of July,” sources stated.
The 272-kilometer rail corridor is almost complete, designed to enhance connectivity and economic integration in the region. Only a 17-kilometer section between Reasi and Katra remains to be operational, with the final segment expected to be finished within the next six months. Upon completion, the rail link will provide direct train services between Baramulla/Srinagar in Kashmir and major destinations such as Jammu, New Delhi, and Kanyakumari. This development promises to boost tourism and trade and offer travelers a more efficient mode of transportation across Jammu and Kashmir.
A trial run of the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train was recently conducted on the newly constructed electrified line section (Reasi-Sangaldan), covering 46 kilometers on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project at a speed of 40 kmph. This trial marked the first time a full train crossed over the iconic Chenab River bridge between Dugga and Bakkal stations. The bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, has a central span of 467 meters at an impressive height of 359 meters.
The USBRL project has been progressing in phases, with 209 kilometers out of the total 272 kilometers already commissioned. The phases include the 118-kilometer Qazigund-Baramulla section (commissioned in October 2009), the 18-kilometer Banihal-Qazigund section (June 2013), the 25-kilometer Udhampur-Katra section (July 2014), and the 48.1-kilometer Banihal-Sangaldan stretch (February 2024).
With the commissioning of the 46-kilometer Sangaldan-Reasi section, only the 17-kilometer stretch between Reasi and Katra remains to be completed. This segment is expected to be finished by the end of the year, fully connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country by train. The project, initiated in 1997, has faced numerous delays due to geological, topographical, and meteorological challenges.
The 1.3-kilometer Chenab rail bridge, located 359 meters above the riverbed and 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, forms a crucial link in the project. The Jammu and Kashmir Administration has announced plans to develop the bridge as a tourist spot. The base of the steel and concrete arch bridge between Bakkal and Kauri was completed in November 2017. Construction of the main arch finished in April 2021, and the overarch deck was completed in August 2022 with the ‘Golden Joint’, paving the way for track laying, which was completed the following year.
As the project nears its final stages, anticipation and optimism are high, with expectations that the USBRL project will significantly transform Jammu and Kashmir’s transportation landscape.(KNS)
