 Early Times Report
Jammu, June 20: The dream project of the Union Government to directly connect Kashmir with the rest of the country through the train is likely to become a reality as the first-ever full train on Wednesday crossed over the world’s highest railway bridge in the Reasi district.
The ream of traveling directly to Srinagar by train is now one step closer to reality. On June 20, 2024, the trial run of the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train took place on the newly constructed electrified line section between Reasi and Sangaldan, covering a route length of 46 kilometers as part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
According to the spokesperson of the railway, the MEMU train commenced its trial run at 12:35 Hrs from Sangaldan and reached Reasi at 14:05 Hrs. The train achieved a speed of 40 kmph during the trial.
En route, the train passed through nine tunnels, totaling 40.787 kilometers in length. The longest tunnel, T-44, spans an impressive 11.13 kilometers.
The historic moment occurred when the full train crossed the iconic bridge connecting Dugga and Bakkal stations across the Chenab River.
This bridge holds the distinction of The dream of traveling directly to Srinagar by train is now one step closer to reality.
The MEMU train commenced its trial run at 12:35 Hrs from Sangaldan and reached Reasi at 14:05 Hrs.
En route, the train passed through nine tunnels, totaling 40.787 kilometers in length.
The stations of Reasi, Bakkal, Dugga, and Sawlakote are strategically located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The electrification work on this section has been executed using state-of-the-art technology: the Rigid Overhead Conductor System (ROCS) at 25 kV.
Notably, this marks the first time such technology has been implemented on Indian Railways. The Chenab Bridge stands as a testament to engineering excellence.
So far, 209 km of the total 272 km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link (USBRL) project have been completed in stages. The project began with the Qazigund-Baramulla section in 2009 and continued with additional sections until February this year.
Once the 46-kilometer Sangaldan-Reasi section is operational, only a 17-kilometer stretch between Reasi and Katra will remain to be completed. This final section is expected to be finished by year-end, fulfilling the long-standing goal of connecting Kashmir to the rest of India by train. This ambitious project began in 1997 and faced delays due to geological, topographical, and weather challenges. | 