Jammu, Jun 04: June 6, 2025, is poised to be inscribed in golden letters in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, as the country’s most iconic and advanced Katra-Srinagar stretch of the prestigious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Katra-Srinagar rail section was the most critical component of the ambitious USBRL project, considered a transformative infrastructure initiative aimed at connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India through a robust, all-weather railway network.
HISTORY
The vision to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India through a railway line is rooted in the late 19th century during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh. In 1898, he first articulated the vision of a railway line connecting Jammu, the winter capital of the princely state, to Srinagar, the summer capital nestled in the Kashmir Valley. In 1905, he approved the construction of a narrow 762 mm gauge railway via Reasi, which would eventually evolve into the modern USBRL project.
By 1905, after years of deliberation, surveys, and consultations with British engineers, Maharaja Pratap Singh approved the construction of a railway line from Jammu to Srinagar. The proposed railway was to be a narrow gauge of 762 mm (2 feet 6 inches), a common choice for mountainous regions in India at the time. British and local engineers conducted preliminary surveys to assess feasibility, map the route, and estimate costs. These surveys identified the need for tunnels, bridges, and embankments to navigate the rugged landscape.
The ruler allocated funds from the state’s treasury and sought collaboration with the British Indian government and the Northwestern Railway, which operated lines in nearby Punjab. However, the challenging topography, geological instability, and harsh weather conditions of the region delayed significant progress for decades.
USBRL REBORN
In 1983, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid the foundation stone for the Jammu-Udhampur section of the railway line. Following this, in 1994, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao announced the modern-day USBRL with an extended railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla via Srinagar to connect the mainland to the Kashmir Valley. The project was formally sanctioned by the Railway Ministry in the 1994-95 budget, with an initial estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore.
NATIONAL PROJECT
In 2002, USBRL was declared a “National Project” by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government, underscoring its strategic and socio-economic importance. The project aims to bridge the geographical and logistical challenges of the Himalayan terrain, enhance regional connectivity, boost tourism, and facilitate trade and economic development in Jammu and Kashmir.
The project is divided into four key legs:
Leg 0: Jammu to Udhampur (53 km)
Leg 1: Udhampur to Katra (25 km)
Leg 2: Katra to Banihal (111 km)
Leg 3: Banihal to Baramulla (135 km)
The Katra-Srinagar rail section is a cornerstone of the USBRL, primarily encompassing the 111-km Katra-Banihal stretch (Leg 2) and linking to Srinagar via the already operational Banihal-Srinagar portion of Leg 3. This route contains challenging engineering marvels, including the world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 meters above the Chenab riverbed in Reasi district, 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. The section also includes 35 tunnels (27 main and 8 escape tunnels), with 97.42 km (87% of the 111 km) in tunnels. The 12.77-km T-50 tunnel between Khari and Sumber is India’s longest transport tunnel.
MILESTONES AND TIMELINE
The USBRL project has been executed in phases, with key sections commissioned over the years. Below are the major milestones, including those relevant to the Katra-Srinagar rail section:
1994-95: The USBRL project is sanctioned by the Government of India with an initial estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore.
2002: Declared a “National Project” by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, ensuring complete funding and prioritisation by the central government.
April 13, 2005: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurate the 53-km Jammu-Udhampur section (Leg 0), completed at a cost of Rs 515 crore after 21 years of effort.
October 2009: The 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla section (part of Leg 3) is commissioned, marking the first operational rail link in the Kashmir Valley.
June 2013: The 18-km Banihal-Qazigund section (part of Leg 3) is opened, featuring the 11-km Pir Panjal Tunnel, providing all-weather connectivity between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley.
July 4, 2014: The 25-km Udhampur-Katra section (Leg 1) is dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, connecting the base camp for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine at a cost of approximately Rs 966 crore (part of the cumulative spend).
February 2020: Prime Minister Modi inaugurates the 48.1-km Banihal-Sangaldan stretch.
July 2020: Track electrification work begins on the Banihal-Baramulla section, achieving 100% electrification of the 185.66-km Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal-Sangaldan route by 2024 at a cost of Rs 470.23 crore.
December 2024: The final track work on the USBRL is completed, including the ballastless track for the 3.2-km Tunnel T-33 at the foothills of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, connecting Katra to Reasi. Railways commence trial runs on the 18-km Katra-Reasi section, a vital part of the Katra-Banihal stretch, testing track stability, tunnel ventilation, and signalling systems.
January 6, 2025: Prime Minister Modi inaugurates the Jammu Railway Division, carved out of the Firozpur Division, covering 742.1 km as the 70th division of Indian Railways. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) conducts the final safety inspection of the Katra-Reasi section, paving the way for operationalisation. Railways also conduct a trial run of the first Vande Bharat train from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar, traversing the Anji Khad Bridge (India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge) and the Chenab Bridge (the world’s highest railway arch bridge).
April 19, 2025: The initially planned inauguration of the Katra-Sangaldan stretch and the USBRL project is deferred due to unsuitable weather.
June 6, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the first Vande Bharat train service from Katra to Srinagar, marking the culmination of decades of effort to connect Kashmir directly to Jammu, New Delhi, and the rest of India by rail.
COSTS AND FINANCIAL DETAILS
The USBRL project was sanctioned in 1994-95 with an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore. By 2014, the approximate cost was pegged at Rs 19,565 crore. However, the latest sanctioned cost, as of 2023, is Rs 37,012.26 crore, with cumulative expenditure reaching Rs 33,421 crore by February 2023 and Rs 38,931 crore by March 2024. The projected total cost is now estimated at Rs 44,000 crore. The Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section, part of the Katra-Banihal route, was completed at an estimated cost of Rs 15,836 crore—(KNO)
