Mumbai: The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), featuring the world’s highest arch bridge over Chenab river, has strengthened all-weather connectivity to Kashmir Valley, reduced freight costs and created new opportunities for economic and business development, officials said on Monday.
The completion of the crucial 111-km Katra-Banihal section, including the final 63-km Katra-Sangaldan stretch, of the USBRL project has overcome major geographical barriers posed by Pir Panjal mountain range, they added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the USBRL project on June 6, 2025, completing the rail connection between the Kashmir Valley and the national railway network.
The officials said the rail link provided a faster and more economical mode of transport for passengers and goods, facilitating the movement of horticultural produce, agricultural commodities and essential supplies between Kashmir Valley and other parts of the country.
The project is expected to further boost trade, tourism, agriculture, industry and logistics by providing a reliable transport alternative, particularly during winter, when road connectivity can be disrupted, they added.
“The 111-kilometre Katra-Banihal section was the missing link. Because of this missing link, Kashmir Valley was not connected to the rest of our country. By completing this project, full connectivity has now been established,” Vineet Abhishek, Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer, said.
Before the final phase of the rail link opened to traffic in 2025, train services operated up to Katra from the Jammu side and up to Banihal from the Srinagar side, with passenger and freight movement largely dependent on roads. Roads, however, were vulnerable to difficult terrain and weather-related disruptions, especially during winter, officials pointed out.
At least six goods trains, three in each direction, are currently operating on the route daily, besides two pairs of Vande Bharat trains between Jammu and Srinagar and DEMU services between Srinagar and Katra, a major pilgrimage centre, they informed.
Horticultural produce, including apples and cherries from Kashmir can now be transported to markets across the country, including Delhi and Mumbai, through rail-based logistics after the entire USBRL link was opened to traffic, officials said.
Abhishek said horticultural produce earlier took 30-35 hours to reach Delhi and 46-47 hours to reach Mumbai by road, but apples from the Kashmir Valley were now reaching Delhi in 20-22 hours and cherries were reaching Mumbai in 30-32 hours.
He said Kashmir Valley was a horticultural hotspot, but transporting perishable produce had been difficult. The new rail link had provided an opportunity to transport these products to other parts of the country faster and at a lower cost.
“This project is important for the connectivity of this region. It is also important for economic growth and business development,” he said.
The Kashmir Valley received its first freight train on August 9 last year. A train carrying cement had arrived at the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed.
Since then, consignments of industrial salt, automobiles, cement, foodgrains and petroleum products have also begun arriving by rail, reducing dependence on road transport, officials said.
More than 1.5 lakh tonnes of cement have been transported to the Valley by rail since the first consignment arrived in Anantnag, according to railway officials. More than 20,000 tonnes of apples have also been transported from Kashmir by rail since September 2025, they said.
The improved connectivity is expected to expand markets for Kashmir’s horticultural produce, including apples, cherries, apricots and vegetables, as well as handicrafts, while supporting commercial and industrial activity in the Valley.
The USBRL project involved overcoming formidable engineering challenges posed by the Himalayan terrain, including deep gorges, steep valleys and rivers.
The Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Khad Bridge are among its most significant engineering structures, they said.
The Chenab Rail Bridge, located in Reasi district, stands 359 metres above the riverbed and is 1,315 metres long.
“The bridge has a designed service life of 120 years and is built to support train operations at speeds of up to 100 kmph,” Konkan Railway Senior Engineer Supreet Singh Rana told visiting media personnel.
Located in Seismic Zone V, the Chenab bridge has been designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 266 kmph. Railway officials also highlighted its blast-resistant design, which is certified to withstand a blast equivalent to 40 kg of TNT.
The Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, is 725 metres long and stands approximately 331 metres above the riverbed. Built at an approximate cost of Rs 580 crore, the asymmetric bridge has 96 cables and 189 instruments for continuous structural health monitoring.
“The Chenab and Anji bridges are among the most spectacular railway engineering achievements in India. But their significance goes beyond their extraordinary height, scale and technology,” Abhishek said.
According to railway officials, the maximum speed of Vande Bharat Express trains between Srinagar and Jammu has recently been increased to 100 kmph from 70 kmph.