Banihal-Sangaldan rail section to be inaugurated on Feb 20

New Delhi, February 17

The Indian Railways will start train services on the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section, a 48.1-kilometre-long significant segment of the country’s most ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, on February 20.

“We will get a step closure to realise our dream to connect Srinagar with Kanyakumari,” a source said.

“The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project is one of the most ambitious Himalayan railway projects post Independence,” he added.

According to sources in the railways, PM Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the section by virtually flagging off a train from Sangaldan.

However, an official confirmation in this regard is awaited.

Talking about the project, a senior railways official said, “Spanning the challenging terrain of the Pir Panjal ranges, the USBRL aims at establishing an all-weather, comfortable and economically-feasible transportation network, connecting remote Himalayan areas with the rest of the country.” The USBRL project seeks to integrate the Kashmir Valley with the Jammu region and the national rail network, spanning a total length of 272 kilometres out of which 161 kilometres have already been commissioned.

According to the railways, the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section, which was constructed at a cost of Rs 15,863 crore, is ready for operation and the existing train services from Baramulla to Banihal will now be extended up to Sangaldan, a town near the district headquarters of Ramban.

“It features 16 bridges — 11 major ones, four minor ones and one road overbridge. More than 90 per cent of this section is in tunnels, with a total of 11 tunnels covering 43.37 kilometres, including the country’s longest transportation tunnel, T-50, stretching 12.77 kilometres in the Khari-Sumber section,” a senior official associated with the project said.

“For safety and rescue, there are three escape tunnels with a combined length of 30.1 kilometres. Additionally, the section includes 30 curves spanning 23.72 kilometres. To further enhance passenger safety and comfort, several advanced features have been incorporated, such as ballastless tracks and canted turnouts (a first for the Indian Railways),” he added.