SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is set to see further expansion of rail connectivity in the Chenab Valley, following a question in the Rajya Sabha on the progress of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). An unstarred question was asked by Shri Sat Paul Sharma and answered by the Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on December 5, 2025.
According to the Minister, surveys for the Baramulla–Uri line, spanning 46 km, and the doubling of the Banihal–Baramulla section, covering 118 km, have been completed and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared. Approvals from the state government, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Finance are awaited before construction can begin.
The USBRL project, which connects districts including Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam, and Baramulla, has already achieved several milestones. It features the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River at 359 metres and India’s first cable-stayed bridge over Anji Khad. The project also delivered more than 215 km of approach roads, 320 small bridges, and tunnels, improving local connectivity and generating over five crore man-days of employment.
Since commissioning, Indian Railways has introduced four Vande Bharat Express services between Katra and Srinagar, along with multiple DEMU and MEMU services connecting Qazigund, Srinagar, and Baramulla. Officials said the rail link has eased passenger travel, helped apple farmers transport their produce, and facilitated the movement of commodities such as cement.
The Minister highlighted that the planned new lines will further strengthen the rail network, providing reliable, all-weather connectivity to the Chenab Valley, boosting tourism, trade, and logistics, and integrating the region more closely with the rest of the country.
