Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring a speedy completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project after taking office in 2014 and said it marks the beginning of a historic journey in setting up the world’s highest railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab river and the Anji Khad bridge, India’s first cable-stayed bridge, before flagging off Vande Bharat trains to mark the completion of the 272-km USBRL that will provide direct train connectivity to the Kashmir valley.
Singh, who along with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the bridge over the Chenab river, the Anji Khad bridge, and the Katra railway station to review the arrangements for Friday, said in the coming days, the project will become a crucial part of the developmental journey of “Viksit Bharat” (developed India).When Narendra Modi became the prime minister in 2014, this work had almost come to a halt. The world’s tallest railway bridge, which the prime minister is now going to inaugurate, was surrounded by many controversies. There were doubts — would building it be feasible? would it be safe?” Singh told reporters here.
He said several railway ministers repeatedly visited the site. “A new alignment was made. It was realised that the bridge would be extremely high. Upon checking, we found that it is actually 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. That marked the beginning of a historic journey under the Modi government,” he said.
Singh said the train route will now serve as a path for business, travel and commerce. “You will be able to reach Srinagar in just three hours from here,” he said.
The Union minister said in the times to come, if the government and policymakers think imaginatively, the project could become a major tourist circuit.
“Even the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi can be integrated into this circuit. I believe that travel agencies should be prepared for this. After visiting Vaishno Devi, tourists can come here and then reach the (Kashmir) valley in just three hours,” he said.
Asserting that the journey on Vande Bharat trains through the hills will be beautiful, Singh said, “It is a scenic route with beautiful views along the way. Children, youngsters and even couples can take photos en route. This will also serve as an alternative route and reduce congestion on the highway.”
He said as an experiment, a passenger train was launched recently, along with another one for Army troops. “Earlier, due to Army movements, there used to be a lot of pressure on the highway and extensive security arrangements had to be made. With the Army now using the train route, the load on the highway has significantly reduced,” he added.The Union minister termed the train to Kashmir the beginning of a new chapter and said, “The Katra station has already played a major role in connecting Jammu and Kashmir with India’s growth story. In the coming days, this project will become a crucial part of the developmental journey of Viksit Bharat.”
Singh said the project is a historic one. “First of all, I believe that there is a long history behind this. The vision of laying railway tracks in Jammu and Kashmir and connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country and the world was conceived nearly 150 years ago by Maharaja Pratap Singh,” he said.
He said engineers and architects were brought in, and at that time, there were plans to lay a narrow-gauge track like the ones seen in Darjeeling or Shimla.
“A similar kind of railway line was envisioned,” Singh said, adding, “But the plan did not move forward then. Then came Independence and we had to wait until 1972 for the first train to arrive in Jammu. Earlier, we used to have a railway station in Sialkot, which was lost after Independence.”
Singh said the train route will be unique. “It will go uphill and then pass through snowy regions. Coaches had to be designed keeping both the terrain and the climate in mind. In February, the snow in Jammu starts to melt due to warmer weather. It is going to be a unique experience,” he said.
A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to inaugurate the much-awaited Kashmir rail link and also dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore in Katra, officials said.
This will be Modi’s first visit to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian armed forces in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.