PM’s determination made Kashmir rail link possible: Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw on Friday said the determination and sharp focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned the dream of connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country through a railway link into a reality.

“The nation nurtured the dream of the Jammu-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line for decades. There were many difficulties, such as tall mountains and deep valleys. But we did not have to fight nature... This railway line has become a reality through a network of bridges and tunnels.

“And it became possible due to the strong will, determined endeavour and laser sharp focus of the prime minister,” Vaishnaw said at the inauguration of the Vande Bharat train to Kashmir from this pilgrim town by Modi.

Vaishnaw said it was a historic day as “another jewel has been added to Maa Bharti’s crown”, referring to the rail link. The railway minister also said that Modi inaugurated two special bridges on the rail line — the Chenab Bridge and the Anji Bridge.

“The Chenab bridge is 359 metres high, taller than the Eiffel Tower. It is the world’s highest railway arc bridge. The T50 tunnel on this line is the longest transportation tunnel at 12.77 km,” Vaishnaw said.

The Katra-Banihal section of the railway line was challenging and the work on it started after 2014, he said. “Out of the 111 km section, 97 km passes through tunnels and 7 km over bridges. In other words, the entire section is made of tunnels and bridges. Making bridges and tunnels in the Himalayas is an extremely challenging task. “There were new innovations... Himalayan tunneling method was started. I want to thank all the engineers and technicians who worked in difficult conditions,” he said.

The railway minister also said that massive works were underway at the Jammu station where three platforms will be ready by September. “Today the train was flagged off from Katra, but this is the Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat train and from September, it will chug from Jammu,” he added.