(Video) Coming soon: Electric train in Kashmir

SRINAGAR:  A trial run of an electric train was successfully conducted between the Budgam-Baramulla section in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Successful trial of electric train between Budgam- Baramulla section in J&K. #MissionElectrification, “ Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tweeted. 

He also shared a video of the trial run on his Twitter handle.

The trial run has come at a time when the World’s highest railway bridge on Chenab River is in the final stage of construction. The bridge will be ready by September this year. Constructed at the cost of Rs 1327 crore near the Salal Hydro Power Dam, the Chenab Bridge is part of the second leg of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link.

Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) is a national project that will connect Kashmir valley with the rest of the country through an all-weather railway network. 

Of the 272-km USBRL project, the work on 161 km was commissioned in phases. The first phase of the 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla section was commissioned in October 2009, followed by the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013 and the 25-km Udhampur-Katra in July 2014. The 111-km Katra-Banihal section has a total of 37 bridges — 26 major ones and 11 minor ones — and 35 tunnels

 Maharaja Pratap Singh had dreamed of this project in 1898. A project was sanctioned in 1905 but it could not be implemented so far.  After independence, Jammu got connected with the rest of India through rail. Indira Gandhi started work on the difficult Chenab section (which includes Kashmir) in 1983

An engineering marvel, the Chenab bridge is expected to be 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower of France. It will withstand a wind velocity of 220 kilometers per hour at the deck level. The bridge is being built in seismic zone V. The slope along the Katra side back is 35-50 degrees while the Qazigund side

In January, engineers pulled off a rare feat when they completed one of the most difficult portions of the main tunnel on the 111-km Banihal-Katra railway line.

Named `T-49B’, the 12.6 km is the longest tunnel of  Indian Railways. It is one of the most difficult tunnels to construct given the topography. 

Railway engineers achieved a breakthrough when they completed the difficult portion between Kundan Adit and Arpinchala in Khari Tehsil.

Constructed with the New Austrian Tunneling Method in the Ramban district, the tunnel on completion would have double tracks. An official said the tunneling was done with utmost care considering geological challenges.