24 January 2025 – The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project is ready for its official opening in the first week of February 2025. This comes after successful test runs of passenger and freight trains, marking an important step for transportation in Jammu and Kashmir.
To prepare for the opening, Northern Railways has planned trial runs of the new Vande Bharat trains on January 24 and 25. These trains will travel between the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) station and Baramulla (BDGM) station. The Northern Railways North Circle has instructed the Firozpur division to manage these trial operations.
Earlier this month, on January 4, Sandeep Gupta, the chief administrative officer of the USBRL project, oversaw the first test run of an electric train on the difficult Katra-Banihal section. This section is part of the 272-km broad-gauge project, which has faced many challenges since it started in 2005-06. The trial included checking important structures, like India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge over the Anji River, and testing the train’s speed on the 111-km route from Katra to Banihal.
The USBRL project has been completed in parts. The 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla stretch opened in October 2009, followed by the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund and 25-km Udhampur-Katra sections, which were finished in 2013 and 2014. This rail link is expected to greatly improve travel in the region, making it easier for people to connect with the national rail network.
However, Indian Railways recently announced new security rules that may make travel to Kashmir more complicated. Due to security concerns, passengers will now need to change trains at Katra station. This security check is expected to take about an hour. As a result, travelers from Kashmir will have to get off at Katra and take a different train to continue their journey to other parts of India, including cities like Delhi.
This change has disappointed many locals who were excited about the new rail link. While the USBRL project is a major achievement for better travel in the region, the new rules may create challenges for passengers.
Despite these issues, the completion of the USBRL is a significant development for Jammu and Kashmir. It has the potential to boost the local economy and improve access to important services for residents. As the region gets ready for the official opening, many hope that the benefits of the rail link will outweigh the current travel difficulties.
