Kashmir Railway Network - The Greatest Indian Railway Project
The Kashmir Railway in India is a broad gauge rail line which is being built to connect the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. Officially termed the Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link, the railway line starts from Jammu and will travel for 345 km (214 mi) to Baramulla on the northwestern edge of the Kashmir Valley. The route crosses major earthquake zones, and is subjected to extreme temperatures of cold and heat and inhospitable terrain, making it an extremely challenging engineering project.
A part of Firozpur division of the Northern Railway zone, the line has been under construction since 1983 by various railway companies. It will link the state's winter capital, Jammu, with the summer capital, Srinagar, and beyond. The project has had a long and chequered history but serious progress was made only after it was declared a National Project in 2002. The scheduled date of completion was 15 August 2007. However, unforeseen complications have pushed back the deadline to 2017 at the earliest. The rail-link from Banihal to Katra, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of India, would be completed by 2020, as per the latest (optimistic) update from the railways. On ground construction indicates a 2023-2024 readiness at the earliest.
The Kashmir Railway project is divided into four sections:
Leg 0 extending 53 km (33 mi) from Jammu to Udhampur, completed in April 2005.
Leg 1 extending 25 km (16 mi) from Udhampur to Katra. This section inaugurated on 4 July 2014 by PM Shri.Narendra Modi. There are two Express trains planned initially - Delhi-Katra and Kalka-Katra.
Leg 2 extending 148 km (92 mi) from Katra to Banihal. Under construction, may open in 2020.
Leg 3 extending 112 km (70 mi) from Banihal to Baramulla, completed in October 2009. The length of the railway track in the Kashmir Valley from Baramulla to the start of Banihal tunnel is, however, 119 km.
Engineering Marvel:
Kashmir Rail line passess through many difficult terrains and deep valleys which make this line one of the best made routes in the world and some world class engineering example but the best part of this whol network will be Chenab River bridge.
Chenab River Bridge:
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| Millau Bridge, France (Current Tallest Railway Bridge) |
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| Representational Image of Chenab River Bridge |
Travelling in and around the mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir has been a great difficulty for locals. An urgent need to provide better transportation facilities was recognised by the Government of India. Construction of a national railway project that will connect J&K with the rest of India was therefore proposed.
The JUSBRL project was launched in 2003 as part of this proposal. The 345km-long railway line between the Jammu and Baramulla regions will enhance mobility within the state and across India. The railway line will traverse along Jammu-Udhampur-Katra-Quazigund-Baramulla. Construction of the Jammu to Udhampur section was completed and opened in April 2005. Work is progressing on the Udhampur to Baramulla section.
The project includes construction of several bridges and tunnels along the route, of which Chenab Bridge is one. It is will span across the deep Chenab river and provide access to the Kashmir valley from Udhampur.
The project was suspended in 2008 due to construction challenges. The alignment of the entire JUSBRL project was reviewed to propose solutions for the challenges faced. The review work was submitted to the Railway Board and approved in 2009. The design of the bridge, however, was approved in July 2012.
Chenab Bridge is an under-construction rail bridge, located between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India. The 1,315m-long bridge is being built at a height of 359m. Once completed, it will be the tallest rail bridge in the world.
The INR5.12bn ($92m) bridge is a part of Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (JUSBRL) project being undertaken by the Ministry of Indian Railways. The bridge will include a 14m-wide dual carriageway and a 1.2m-wide central verge.
The project is expected to be finished by March 2016 and will have a lifespan of 120 years. It will contribute to the economic development of the state and help in providing better transportation accessibility within the state and the country.
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| Banihal Railway Station Entrance |
Few highlights of this network:
The section between Banihal in Jammu and Qazigund in Kashmir is 18 kilometres long.
The Banihal-Qazigund section includes an 11-km-long tunnel – India’s longest, 2nd longest in Asia.
The opening of the section marks the start of the rail service to the Kashmir Valley.
The Banihal-Qazigund section will link the already operational 118-km-long route between Qazigund and Baramulla to the rest of the country.
Eight coach trains will run between Banihal and Baramulla from June 27 after the inaugural run on June 26.
The Banihal-Baramulla-Banihal train will make five trips daily beginning at 7.10 am from Banihal and 7.35 am from Baramulla.
The section will reduce the distance from 35 km (by road) to 18 km.
The rail link has been constructed at a cost of Rs 1,691 crore.
Passengers travelling by train from Kashmir Valley to Banihal can avail bus service from there till Udhampur where train service is available for the rest of the country.
Chena River Bridge, part of Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, will be the tallest rail bridge in the world with height of 359 meters overtaking Millau Viaduct bridge in France which is 323 meters.
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| Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station |
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