Srinagar, Dec 16: The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on Monday conducted a crucial inspection of the railway track connecting Reasi to Banihal on Monday. It has spurred hopes of starting the train to Kashmir in January 2025.
The inspection is a significant milestone in the completion of the Katra-Banihal rail link, which forms part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
CRS Dinesh Chand Deswal began his day at Gram Railway Station in Reasi after arriving by road from Katra. Boarding a railway engine, he traveled to Banihal, reviewing the track’s preparedness and infrastructure.
After returning to Sangaldan in the afternoon, he proceeded to Kodi in the evening. His inspection will continue on December 17, when he will travel from Kodi to Katra via trolley to examine the cable bridge constructed over Anji Khad, another engineering marvel of the project.
A highlight of the rail link is the train’s passage over the Chenab Bridge, the world’s tallest railway bridge, which towers at 359 meters—higher than the Eiffel Tower. Constructed at a cost of Rs 1,486 crore, the bridge used 30,000 metric tons of steel and was built to withstand wind speeds of up to 260 kilometers per hour. The Chenab Bridge has already become a symbol of engineering excellence in India.
The inspection follows a tweet from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, who hinted that rail service to Kashmir could commence in January. Sources indicate that CRS Deswal will revisit the Katra-Banihal rail link in the first week of January for a final inspection, solidifying hopes of its timely launch.
Earlier this year, the Katra-Banihal section witnessed its first trial run in June. A train carrying project employees and railway officials traveled from Sangaldan to Reasi, Upon its arrival at Reasi Railway Station, locals gathered to celebrate, chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai” in anticipation.
Last week, the final track work for the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL) has been completed, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Friday.
In a post on the social media platform X, Vaishnaw described it as a “historic milestone.”
“Final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is complete. The ballastless track work for the 3.2-km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was completed today at 2:00 AM,” he wrote on X.
The newly constructed 46-km route from Sangaldan to Reasi has already been completed. This section passes through tunnels and the challenging terrain of the Chenab Bridge—the world’s highest railway bridge—located in the Reasi district.
The iconic Chenab Bridge spans 1,315 meters, featuring an arch span of 467 meters and a height of 359 meters above the riverbed. It is considered a marvel of engineering.
“The section from Sangaldan to Reasi has been completed, and the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) certificate has also been received,” the official said.
Earlier this year, the 48.1-km-long Banihal-Sangaldan section of the USBRL project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Jammu in February.
The USBRL project features 38 tunnels spanning 119 km, including the country’s longest transportation tunnel, Tunnel T-49, measuring 12.75 km. It also includes 927 bridges covering a combined length of 13 km. Among these is the iconic Chenab Bridge, an engineering marvel standing 359 meters above the riverbed—about 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower—making it the world’s highest arch railway bridge. The bridge, made of steel and concrete, is designed to withstand wind speeds of 260 km/h and the highest intensity earthquakes.
Notable milestones in the Kashmir Rail Project include the completion of the Baramulla-Qazigund section in 2009, Qazigund-Banihal in 2013, Udhampur-Katra in 2014, and the Banihal-Sangaldan service, inaugurated by PM Modi in February 2024.