Kashmir Railway Line Set to Open for Passenger Traffic
A brand-new railway line connecting Srinagar in India’s Kashmir region with Delhi is set to open for passenger traffic in January.
Kashmir Railway
According to the Kashmir Observer, the railway line to Srinagar in India’s north-western Kashmir region is expected to be completed in December, paving the way for the first passenger trains to operate on this brand-new route in January 2025.
The new railway line links Srinagar, the regional capital of Kashmir, with Udhampur in the Jammu region, which is the current railhead.
The extension of the railway line from Udhampur to Srinagar will finally connect Kashmir to the rest of the Indian rail network.
Scenery around Srinagar, Kashmir. ©Pexels/Syed Qaarif Andrabi
Engineering feat
The new railway line traverses challenging mountain terrain, which required Indian engineers to construct 38 tunnels spanning a total of 74 miles (119 kilometres) and 927 bridges with a combined length of 8 miles (13 kilometres).
The line, officially called the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), will feature India’s longest railway tunnel (Tunnel T-49, measuring 8 miles or 12.75 kilometres in length) as well as the world’s highest arched railway bridge.
Called the Chenab Bridge, this arched railway bridge stands 1,178 feet (359 metres) above the riverbed, making it taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Cow casually walking on the platform of an Indian railway station. ©AndyBTravels
Train service
Once the railway line is inaugurated, new train services will be introduced, linking Kashmir with the rest of India.
Among these services will be a night train between the Kashmiri regional capital of Srinagar and India’s capital, New Delhi.
According to local media, the new Srinagar-Delhi rail connection will be operated by a sleek Vande Bharat sleeper train, a semi-high-speed, long-distance electric multiple unit (EMU) trainset developed and built in India.
Samosa wallahs (vendors) on board an Indian train. ©AndyBTravels
Regional tensions
Kashmir has been a focal point of territorial disputes between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947.
Both India and Pakistan claim the entire former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, but each country controls only a portion of the region.
Although Kashmir is currently relatively peaceful, the region, renowned for its stunning lakes and mountains, has a history of terrorist attacks and armed conflict.
Indian Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, said that inspections are currently being carried out on the line to ensure the project’s completion by December, emphasising that safety is paramount.
Mr Bittu also told the press that the railway line will give a huge boost to the economy of India in general, and to Kashmir specifically.
He said: “When our highways and railways are efficient, we can compete globally.
“This will be an eye-opener for the world. Safety remains our top priority, and every aspect is being checked to ensure the project’s completion by December.”
AndyB in front of an Indian train. ©AndyBTravels
Conclusion
A new railway line linking the mountainous Indian region of Kashmir with the rest of India’s rail network is set to be completed in January.
According to Indian newspapers, the first passenger trains are set to operate in January 2025, including a sleeper train linking Srinagar with Delhi.
It will make for a great way for tourists to travel by train to this beautiful Indian region!
