Direct Jammu- Srinagar train to commence in Sept: Railway Minister

Jammu: Asserting that direct train service between Jammu and Srinagar would commence in September this year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said the political will of Prime Minister Narendra Modi led to the completion of Udhampur-Baramulla-Srinagar Railway link (USBRL) project to connect Kashmir with rest of the country.
Talking to reporters here, the Minister said that work on Jammu Railway station is going on. “The work is expected to be completed by September. With the availability of platform 5 and 6, Vande Bharat trains will run between Jammu and Srinagar directly.”
“When you have to do a project like USBRL, it needs political will. From 2004 to 2014, the project saw the completion of railway tracks in plain areas with no work done in difficult zones,” he said.
The Railway Minister said that the PM Modi demonstrated the “political will, guidance and support to the technical teams” and that is the reason, this long-standing dream is fulfilled today, he added.
Vaishnaw said the 1.3-km highest railway bridge in the world over Chenab river, forms a crucial link in the 111-km stretch from Katra to Banihal. “It is a huge technical marvel completed after overcoming many challenges,” he said.
“If technical parameters are taken into account, this bridge is designed in such a way to withstand 260 km per hour wind speed. Since the bridge area falls within seismic Zone V, its design was a complex process,” he said.
The minister said the foundation of the bridge is half of the football field and 30,000 tonnes of steel was used in its making.
Similarly, he said, the Anji Khad bridge is equally important as it is the first cable-stayed railway bridge in the country.
Vaishnaw said, “We found a new way of tunnelling called Himalayan tunnelling method which is the result of technical innovation carried out by the Railways. It is also a great achievement for the country,” he said.
He said that travellers will enjoy a train trip to Kashmir.
“The tunnel construction was done in such a way as to ensure the comfort of the travellers. The service will prove a great facility for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The minister said the Jammu railway division of the Northern Railways recently conducted an experiment to transport cherry parcel vans from Katra to Mumbai and many more facilities would be included as time passes