SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Railways has withdrawn two proposed railway projects in Jammu and Kashmir — the Baramulla-Uri rail link and the Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam track-doubling project — for the time being, according to an official communication.
In a letter to the General Manager, Northern Railway, the ministry stated that the two projects had been returned by the Cabinet Secretariat and were “no longer under consideration”, news agency KNO reported.
The projects included a proposed 46-km Baramulla-Uri rail line and a 118-km Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam doubling project aimed at strengthening rail connectivity in Kashmir.
Railway authorities had already completed surveys for both projects and prepared Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). However, the ministry clarified that preparation of DPRs does not amount to final approval or sanction of a project.
According to the ministry, railway projects require consultations with stakeholders and several clearances, including appraisal by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance, before receiving final approval.
The proposed Baramulla-Uri line was envisaged as an extension of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) from Baramulla to Uri near the Line of Control.
A senior railway official told KNO that the projects may have been returned due to factors such as funding constraints or utility-related issues.
The official said DPR preparation was only one stage of the approval process and that multiple clearances are required before a project can be sanctioned.
He added that the projects could be reconsidered in the future, subject to approvals and other requirements.
