Jammu, Jan 07 : Commissioner of Railway Safety (Northern Circle), Dinesh Chand Deshwal, commenced a two-day statutory inspection of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project on Tuesday, marking a significant step toward operationalizing train services to Kashmir.
The USBRL project, a monumental undertaking to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India, achieved a key milestone last month with the completion of the Reasi-Katra section. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced the section’s completion, hailing it as a transformative development in the decades-long project.
Deshwal’s inspection follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual inauguration of the Jammu Railway Division, aimed at streamlining train operations in India’s northernmost region.
On the first day of his visit, Deshwal conducted a statutory inspection of the Katra-Reasi section, including a visit to the Anji Khad Bridge in Reasi district. The Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, is a critical engineering achievement within the project.
The CRS will also inspect the iconic Chenab Bridge at Kauri, the world’s highest railway bridge, before overseeing a to-and-fro speed trial of the Katra-Banihal section using a CRS Special train on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the Katra-Banihal section saw a successful trial run of an electric train. The railways have conducted six trial runs in the past month across various segments of the track, including the Anji Khad and The officials stated that the CRS report, expected after the two-day inspection, will guide the final steps toward launching passenger services to Kashmir.
Started in 1997, the USBRL project has faced numerous delays due to complex geological, topographical, and meteorological challenges. However, its completion is set to revolutionize connectivity and boost economic and tourism prospects in Jammu and Kashmir.
With the CRS inspection nearing its conclusion, the long-awaited dream of rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley is on the verge of becoming a reality, a testament to India’s engineering prowess and determination.
