SRINAGAR: The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project has generated over five crore man-days of employment and significantly improved connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.
The 272-km USBRL project, recently commissioned, connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country and passes through the districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla. The project is among the most challenging railway lines constructed in India post-independence, traversing the young Himalayas with complex geological conditions.
The project includes India’s tallest railway bridge — the 1,315-metre-long Chenab Bridge in Reasi district with a 467-metre arch span, 359 metres above the riverbed — and the country’s first cable-stayed bridge over Anji Khad, standing 331 metres above the riverbed with a main pylon height of 193 metres.
As part of its socio-economic impact, the USBRL project also constructed over 215 km of approach roads, a tunnel, and 320 small bridges, improving connectivity for local communities. Vaishnaw highlighted that the project has aided apple farmers in transporting produce nationwide, facilitated passenger movement, and supported the transport of commodities such as cement to the valley.
Following the commissioning, Indian Railways introduced four Vande Bharat services connecting Katra and Srinagar, along with multiple DEMU/MEMU services on the Qazigund-Srinagar and Srinagar-Baramulla sectors, further enhancing travel convenience and tourism.
Plans to expand rail connectivity include the Baramulla-Uri new line (46 km) and Banihal-Baramulla doubling (118 km), with surveys completed and DPRs prepared. Project sanctioning will follow stakeholder consultations and approvals from NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance.
Vaishnaw provided the details in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
