Srinagar, Feb 06: In a move aimed at strengthening rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir’s border regions, the Union Government has prepared Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the doubling of the Qazigund–Srinagar–Budgam rail section and a new rail line between Baramulla and Uri, Parliament was informed on Friday.
The DPR for the Qazigund–Srinagar–Budgam doubling covers a length of 118 kilometres, while the proposed Baramulla–Uri new line spans 40 kilometres. The projects are intended to enhance capacity, improve operational efficiency and extend rail connectivity closer to sensitive border areas.
Providing the information in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said that following the preparation of DPRs, sanctioning of railway projects involves consultations with multiple stakeholders, including the concerned State governments, and statutory approvals such as appraisal by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance.
He added that as project sanctioning is a “continuous and dynamic process,” specific timelines for approval and execution cannot be fixed at this stage.
The minister also informed the House that a survey for a new Sopore–Kupwara rail line of 34 kilometres, aimed at extending connectivity from the existing Srinagar–Baramulla section, had earlier been sanctioned and a DPR prepared. However, the project was subsequently dropped after being found infeasible.
Highlighting the broader impact of rail infrastructure in the Union Territory, Vaishnaw said the recently commissioned Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project has emerged as a major catalyst for socio-economic development in Jammu and Kashmir.
The 272-kilometre-long USBRL project passes through the districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla.
He further said that the employment generation has been one of the most significant outcomes of the USBRL project, with over five crore man-days of employment generated during its execution.
Vaishnaw said the project has also contributed to regional development through the construction of more than 215 kilometres of approach roads, including a tunnel and around 320 small bridges, which have improved connectivity for local populations and facilitated socio-economic upliftment in remote areas.
He said that the availability of all-weather, reliable and comfortable rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the Indian Railways network is expected to provide a major boost to tourism in the region, in addition to supporting trade, mobility and strategic requirements.
Irfan Yattoo
Leave a comment