The railway authorities have announced that they are on track to finalize the ambitious railway line linking Katra to Sangaldan by June this year, with work progressing rapidly. Presently, trains operate along the railway line from Kanyakumari to Katra, while services run from Baramulla to Sangaldan in the Kashmir Valley. Katra and Sangaldan are about to establish a connection that will bridge the gap in rail connectivity, enabling smooth travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
According to reports received by a news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)—over the weekend, Railway Protection Force (RPF) Director General Manoj Yadav conducted an extensive inspection of the newly constructed railway line and stations between Banihal and Sangaldan in Ramban district. Arriving in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit, Yadav, accompanied by Northern Railway officials, embarked on a special inspection, travelling to Banihal station from Srinagar via rail car. During his visit, he meticulously examined the railway station and RPF post, ensuring security measures were in place.
Reports inform us that Yadav proceeded to Khadi-Sumbad and Sangaldan railway stations, where he assessed the deployment and security arrangements of the Railway Protection Force.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project on February 20, which includes the 48.1 km-long Banihal-Sangaldan section. This ambitious endeavour, totalling 272 km, represents a significant milestone in India’s railway infrastructure development. In October 2009, the project inaugurated Phase I, which covered the 118 km-long Qazigund-Baramulla section. The project inaugurated the 18-kilometer-long Banihal-Qazigund section in June 2013 and the 25-kilometer-long Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014. (KNO)
