‘Challenging’ trial run on 179-degree rising gradient successful, Kashmir inches closer to direct rail connection

“The trial run in such a challenging geography was smooth and filled us with a sense of fulfilment,” he said. “The credit for it goes to our engineers who have done such great work.”

According to sources, the trial train left Katra station at 10:30 am and reached Banihal station in 1.5 hours. It then returned to Katra at 3:30 pm.

Deshwal said that his team would now analyse the data it had collected and that the central government would eventually take a call on when direct train services to Kashmir could begin.

“I am not in a position to talk about it (start of services). The statutory (two-day) inspection will be completed by this evening and all the gathered data analysed in accordance with guidelines of the Northern Railway,” he said.

But he also said that the CRS inspection had been “satisfactory so far”. “Our infrastructure is outstanding and very soon a fair decision will be taken based on our report,” he added.

Significantly, completion of the Reasi-Katra track is seen as an important milestone for the Union Territory. According to officials, the project to link Kashmir by train was started in 1997 but missed several deadlines due to geological, topographical and meteorological challenges.

The first direct train from Kashmir to Delhi will begin operating in January, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to inaugurate the remaining 17-km stretch of the 272 km-long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project between Reasi and Katra next month.

The train is expected to cover a distance of 800 km in less than 13 hours. The 62-km-long track between Katra and Sangaldan also boasts of world’s highest bridge over the Chenab River.

“I believe that whenever the Prime Minister gets time in the first month of next year, it will be inaugurated,” a source said, quoting Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu during an inspection of the Reasi-Katra section in December.

The train is expected to benefit the people of Kashmir by facilitating hassle-free transport of goods such as apples, dry fruits, pashmina shawls, and handicrafts to other parts of the country in the shortest possible time and for cheaper. The cost of transporting items of daily use to the Valley from elsewhere in the country is also expected to go down significantly.