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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the Banihal-Sangaldan section of the railway line that, when completed, will connect Baramulla in North Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu. He also flagged off Kashmir’s first electric train, which will run between Baramulla and Sangaldan.
The 48-kilometre line between Banihal and Sangaldan – both in J&K’s Ramban district – features a total of 16 bridges. According to Northern Railway PRO Rajesh Share, more than 90 per cent of this section is through tunnels, including T-50 – the country’s longest transportation tunnel stretching 12.77 km between Khari and Sumber.
“The dream of connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari by rail has also moved forward today with the commissioning of the section between Baramulla and Sangaldan,” the PM said at an event in Jammu.
The extension of the Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal railway line to Sangaldan will provide all-weather connectivity to villages and towns in the vicinity of Sangaldan, Sumber and Khari, improving access to remote areas of the Ramban district.
The J&K administration expects that the line, constructed at a cost of Rs 15,863 crore, will also promote regional development by facilitating access to markets, health and educational services, while reducing travel time for residents in these areas.
Srinagar MP and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah welcomed the opening of the line to Sangaldan. “The people of Kashmir have been waiting for this. The process of connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country has begun. This is a big step, and I congratulate everyone for making it happen,” he said.
The entire 185-km stretch, between Baramulla and Sangladan, has been electrified at a cost of Rs 470 crore. The PM on Tuesday flagged off Kashmir’s first electric train service on this stretch, which covers 19 stations.
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