Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday virtually inaugurated the Jammu Division of Indian Railways – a move that fulfils a long-pending demand from the region. This comes weeks before the Modi government launches the first direct train service to Kashmir in six decades. Modi, who described the move as a “monumental step”, inaugurated the division through a video link as part of a series of new Indian Railway projects. The new Jammu Division, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the Indian Railways’ 70th overall and the sixth under Northern Railways after Ambala, Delhi, Lucknow, Moradabad and Firozpur. The inauguration of the Jammu Division of the Indian Railways comes ahead of the official inauguration of the Katra-Reasi railway section and the official launch of the Vande Bharat train up to Srinagar. The rail section, trial runs for which is ongoing, will formally establish a railway link to the Kashmir Valley and, seen in conjunction with the likely inauguration of Vande Bharat train services to Kashmir on January 26, could help give a significant economic boost to the region. Speaking at the event, Modi said the government’s new railway initiatives, which includes expansion of the country’s metro rail network to over 1000 km, and Namo Bharat train in Delhi-NCR, are “further testimony to the fact that the entire nation is moving forward together”. In addition to the Jammu Division, Modi also inaugurated the new Charlapalli New Terminal Station in Telangana and laid the foundation stone of Rayagada Railway Division Building in Odisha at the same event. “The Jammu railway division will not only benefit J&K but also Himachal Pradesh and several cities of Punjab and Leh-Ladakh,” he said. “Jammu and Kashmir is achieving new milestones in railway infrastructure, with the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line, which is being discussed all over the country today.” The Jammu Division has a total rail network of 742.1 km, with sections such as Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (423 route km), Bhogpur-Sirwal-Pathankot (87.21 route km), Batala (excluding)-Pathankot (68.17 route km) and Pathankot-Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge section, 163.72 route km) coming under it. Thus far, these sections were part of the Firozpur Division of the Northern Railways. Currently, the railway line runs up to Katra and Reasi in Jammu. Once opened, the 62-km-long track between Katra and Sangaldan, Reasi, in Jammu will also boast the world’s highest bridge over Chenab. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari highlighted various highway development projects in the union territory – including the construction of a four-lane stretch of road on NH-44. The road is meant to bypass Banihal town in Ramban, which would see frequent traffic jams. “In Jammu & Kashmir, we have successfully completed a 4-lane, 2.35 km bypass to Banihal town at a cost of Rs 224.44 crore. Strategically located on the Ramban–Banihal section of NH-44, the bypass features 4 viaducts spanning 1,513 meters and 3 culverts, effectively addressing the persistent bottleneck caused by roadside markets and shops,” said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in his post on X. He further said: “Initially, 2-lane traffic will be released and 4-lane traffic shall be released after junction development within 15 days. This critical infrastructure ensures unhindered traffic flow, significantly reducing travel time and congestion for both tourists and defense vehicles en route to the Kashmir Valley. Beyond improving regional connectivity, the bypass strengthens national security logistics and enhances tourism prospects in the region.”
