JAMMU, Jan 19: Officials reported that a train with 22 bogies successfully completed a trial run between Katra and Srinagar railway stations on Sunday, marking a significant milestone for the newly constructed rail link that connects Kashmir to the rest of India.
The train, which consisted of 18 AC coaches, two luggage carriers, and two engines, departed from Katra station at approximately 8 am and arrived at its destination within four hours, monitored by railway authorities.
This successful trial was the first of its kind between the two stations, occurring just six days after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Northern Circle), Dinesh Chand Deshwal, granted approval for the newly built Broad Gauge line to open.
Deshwal authorized the commencement of public passenger and goods transport in a comprehensive seven-page letter directed to the ministry and railway officials, following his thorough inspections of the track on January 7 and 8.
During his inspections, the CRS reviewed the newly constructed BG line section from Katra to Reasi using both motor trolley and on-foot assessments, culminating in a speed trial over the entire route from Katra to Banihal.
He authorized regular service for passenger and freight traffic on this segment, allowing a maximum speed of 85 km/h on the main line and 15 km/h on turnouts.
The initiative to establish rail connectivity to Kashmir began in 1997 and encountered numerous delays due to various geological, topographical, and meteorological obstacles.
As part of the extensive 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209 km has been commissioned in stages. This includes the initial 118 km Qazigund-Baramulla section in October 2009, the 18 km Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013, the 25 km Udhampur-Katra in July 2014, and the 48.1 km Banihal-Sangaldan stretch completed in February of last year.
The 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section was finished in June last year, with only a remaining 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra which was finalized in December 2024, as confirmed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
On January 4, there was also a successful trial run for an electric train on the Katra-Banihal section. Over the past month, the railways have conducted six trial runs on different segments of the track, including significant milestones such as the Anji Khad and Chenab bridges. (Agencies)
