Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 5: The Centre has fixed deadline of 2018 for completion of Katra-Banihal rail link, which would provide complete connectivity to militancy-infested and strategic Kashmir Valley with rest of the country by train.
Total cost of 326 kilometers prestigious rail project from Udhampur to Baramulla has been revised to Rs 19565 crores.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government of India has fixed 2018 i.e. nearly four years from now for completion of remaining part of Katra-Banihal rail link, which would approximately run into 126 kilometers. Work on various sections for construction of railway line including bridges, tunnels etc is on.
The project cost from Udhampur to Baramulla has been revised at Rs 19565 crores. Out of it, the Railways have so far incurred Rs 9666.71 crores on construction of 25.6 kilometers track between Udhampur to Katra and 119 kilometers railway line from Qazigund to Baramulla via Srinagar.
When completed, Udhampur-Katra-Qazigund-Srinagar-Baramulla (USBRL) Railway Line would have 326 kilometers distance excluding 55 kilometers run between Jammu and Udhampur.
Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has in 2000 set the deadline of 2007 for completion of railway line to Srinagar to link the Kashmir Valley with rest of the country but due to tough terrain and other hazardous, the Railways was able to complete the railway line up to Udhampur in 2005. Nine years later, the rail line was completed up to Katra yesterday.
Though the Government of India has revised the deadline for completion of railway line between Katra to Banihal to 2018, sources said the Railways would be able to meet the deadline only if the flow of funds continued uninterruptedly.
The Railways have pinned hopes on railway budget, which would be presented by Railways Minister Sadanand Gowda in the Parliament on July 8. The Railways hoped that there would be enough funding for vital railway line so that work in the upcoming months was expedited in remaining part of Katra-Banihal track.
The railway line would provide all weather connectivity to the Kashmir Valley as Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the lifeline to the Valley, is closed quite often during winters due to snowfall and landslides.
The present railway line connects Baramulla in western part of Kashmir Valley to Qazigund at the other end of the Valley via Srinagar. This line has been extended to Banihal through a tunnel T-80, which pierces through the Pir Panjal range.
Sources said the construction of USBRL project has other benefits for the local residents.
“More than 235 kilometers of approach roads are being built along construction sites for carrying of construction material. These roads will benefit the villagers of far flung areas, which had no roads previously,’’ they added.
Meanwhile, heavy rush of Mata Vaishno pilgrims and locals was witnessed at Katra railway station, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine today as people jostled to board two DMUs, which plied today between Katra and Jammu.
On Saturday and Sunday, only two DMUs will ply between Katra and Jammu while during rest of five working days, three DMUs would shuttle between Katra-Jammu (two) and Katra-Pathankot (one) via Udhampur.
The long distance trains from Katra to New Delhi and other destinations would start operations after few days.
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