Katra (Jammu): The 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project which was started in 1997 took almost 28 years to become operational.
Its first 55 km long section between Jammu-Udhampur was completed in April 2005.
According to Northern Railways, the whole project was completed and operationalised in multiple phases with the last one being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
After opening Jammu-Udhampur section, the then UPA government focused on sections in Kashmir and operationalised 68 km long Anantnag-Mazhom rail link in October 2008.
“Then came 32 km long Mazhom – Baramulla rail link on which trains services started on February 2009. So by 2009, locals availed train journey from the last point of the USBRL project, ie, Baramulla to Anantnag,” a Northern Railway official said.
He added, “Since work was going on simultaneously on other sections, Railways was able to extend the train service from Anantnag to Quazigund towards Jammu side by October end in 2009.”
The Railways achieved another significant milestone when it further extended the train services from Quazigund to Banihal in June 2013 which involved construction of 11.215 km long Pir Panjal tunnel.
“Almost after a year in July 2014, Udhampur-Katra line from Jammu side was made operational,” the official said.
According to a railway source, “When Modi government came to power, the rail services were operational from Baramulla to Banihal in Kashmir side and Katra to Jammu on the other side. The missing link – Banihal to Katra – needed to become operational for bringing Kashmir on rail network of the country.”
“The Modi government completed Banihal to Katra connectivity in two phases. First, Banihal to Sangaldan in Feb 2024 and then Sangaldan to Katra on June 6, 2025 was made operational completing the missing link,” he added.
The Northern Railway said that Banihal to Katra section has iconic Chenab and Anji Bridge and some of the toughest and longest tunnel.
“For instance, the 12.75 km long country’s longest operational rail tunnel is between Banihal and Sangaldan. There are many other challenging infrastructure development work that were materialised in the past 11 years,” another official said.
