By: Umaisar Gull Ganie
Anantnag: The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) has been completed barring some work on Tunnel T1 in Reasi, which is likely to be completed within a week, Ashok Kumar Verma, General Manager (GM) of Northern Railway, said on Tuesday.
News agency KNO quoted Verma as saying that the work on tunnel T1 at Reasi is in its final stages and should be completed within a week.
“Track-laying work at Tunnel T1 has been completed, and electrical work is currently underway. This is expected to be finished within a week. The CSR inspection will also be conducted in the next 15 days. Rail service from Katra to Srinagar will commence soon,” he said.
The General Manager Northern Railway visited several railway stations across the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday to review operations and assess ongoing infrastructure development.
During his visit, he said that the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project “is 100% complete”.
He also said that premium trains like Vande Bharat Express and others would soon operate in the Kashmir Valley, enhancing travel options for locals and visitors alike.
Responding to a question about the stoppage of the Vande Bharat train at Anantnag, he said, “We have to decide it overall, and deciding station-wise is a bit difficult. No doubt, people have expectations, but many trains, including Vande Bharat and others, will come. However, deciding stoppages station-wise is a challenging task.”
The General Manager further said that it was quite a Herculean task to carry out work in the Himalayan region. “There was no soil data available, and constructing tunnels in hard rock is relatively easy. However, the Himalayas have fragile soil. While working on the T1 tunnel, it even collapsed once, and it took eight years to redo the work. Now, with experience, new technology, and top consultants involved, the work has become more efficient,” he added.
