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PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link today: 8 landmark achievements
Security has been tightened across the region, especially in Katra city of Reasi district and Ramban.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, June 6.
Railway stations across the Kashmir valley have been decorated for the occasion, where PM Narendra Modi flagged off the first Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express – the first train to directly connect the Valley with the rest of India.
Ahead of the event, security has been tightened across the region, especially in Katra city of Reasi district and Ramban, where security personnel conducted vehicle checks with dog squads. Udhampur railway station has also been placed under high alert.
Built at a cost of ₹43,780 crore, the 272-km-long rail line cuts through some of the most challenging terrain in the Himalayas.
According to a PIB release, the project features 36 main tunnels covering nearly 120 km, eight escape tunnels, and 943 bridges that span rivers, gorges, and mountain passes.
Eight key achievements of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link:
- Chenab bridge: The world’s highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 metres above the riverbed—35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. According to an official release, the bridge spans 1.3 km and can withstand winds of up to 260 km/h. It cost ₹1,486 crore and is designed to last 120 years. With its completion, the travel time between Katra and Srinagar will come down to about three hours.
- Anji Khad bridge: India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, located 80 km from Jammu. It stands 331 metres above the riverbed and stretches 725 metres. The structure uses 96 high-tensile cables and was completed in just 11 months. Over 8,200 metric tonnes of steel were used.
- Tunnel T-50: India’s longest transportation tunnel, at 12.77 km, between Khari and Sumber.
- Tunnel T-80 (Pir Panjal tunnel): The second-longest transportation tunnel in India, 11.22 km long, between Banihal and Qazigund.
- Tunnel T-44: The third-longest railway tunnel in the country, measuring 11.13 km, between Sawalkote and Sangaldan.
- Massive tunnel network: The entire project includes 36 main tunnels and eight escape tunnels, covering a combined length of over 186 km.
- All-weather connectivity: With the addition of ice-cutters on the Vande Bharat trains, the line is built to function throughout the year, even in snowy conditions. The train will provide a major improvement over road transport which often shuts down during harsh winters.
- Use of advanced engineering techniques: The Himalayan Tunneling Method and advanced software like ‘Tekla’ were used to design and construct the structures to withstand seismic activity, heavy snowfall, and landslides.
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link
The USBRL project took over three decades to complete. According to an official press release, the idea of a rail link connecting the Kashmir valley to the rest of India was first floated in the 1970s. It was formally approved in 1994, and construction began in 2002 after the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government sanctioned funds for land acquisition.
J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and union minister Jitendra Singh visited the Katra station on Thursday to inspect preparations. "If I say that I have been waiting for this day for a long time, it won't be an exaggeration," Abdullah said. “This project started when I was in school, maybe in class 7 or 8. Today, my children have also completed their education and are now working.”
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the project as a turning point for Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with the rest of India. “This will improve trade, tourism and mobility,” the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Vande Bharat Express will run between Katra and Srinagar, significantly reducing travel time and offering a safer and more comfortable option than road or air, especially during winter, when the Srinagar-Jammu highway is often shut. The project aims to end Kashmir’s seasonal transport isolation and high airfares.
