Last Updated:January 16, 2025, 00:52 IST
Under the USBRL project, speed trials were conducted on both the up and down routes between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal with speeds reaching up to 110 kmph
Under the USBRL project, the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section received CRS authorisation on July 1. (Image: PTI/File)
The commissioner of railway safety gave its nod to passenger and freight operations on the Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, marking the completion of the project and paving the way for commercial train services on the entire route.
According to a document accessed by CNN-News18, trains will operate at speeds of up to 85 kmph on the main line while turnout speeds are limited to 15 kmph. The authorisation, however, comes with specific terms and conditions.
The speed trials were conducted using a specially equipped inspection train fitted with oscillation monitoring system (OMS) equipment and pulled by an electric locomotive. The trials were done on both the up and down routes between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal, with speeds reaching up to 110 kmph.
In his authorisation letter, CRS (commissioner of railway safety) Northern Circle Dinesh Chand Deshwal provided detailed observations and technical specifications from the trials. A senior railway official said: “This is procedural. The CRS inspects the section, taking note of every minute detail, which is crucial. Whenever any authorisation is granted, it is accompanied by numerous technical readings. The report is positive, and since the authorisation has been received, we will fulfil the required conditions, and operations will commence soon.”
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The document outlines key details of the 16.5-km Katra-Reasi section, with specific mention of Bridge No 217 – Anji cable-stayed bridge. It highlights tunnel ventilation, fire safety measures, and other technical aspects of the section.
In one of his observations, the CRS wrote: “A proper system of monitoring and reviewing the instrumentation data of the important and special bridges, ie, Bridge No. 225 (Chenab Bridge), 217 (Anji Bridge), 224 (Bakkal Bridge), and 220 (Reasi Bridge), shall be established by CBE/NR. RDSO should monitor the data generated by the instrumentation on a quarterly basis for the first five years of operations.”
In the report, the CRS has further stated that given the section’s many tunnels and bridges as well as its lack of road connectivity, the railways should construct helipads for emergency situations. The report noted that as the section also features a ballastless track, it should be kept, along with other systems, under close monitoring. It also mentions that soil erosion measures at some locations remain incomplete.
“This was the only remaining section pending authorisation. We have now received it. It will take a few more days, and we can then expect the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” a railway official said.
The official added: “Traveling by train on the world’s highest rail bridge, along with the Anji Khad as well as other bridges and tunnels, will be an unparalleled experience.”
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project was originally sanctioned in 1994-1995. Trains have been operational between Sangaldan and Baramulla on the Kashmir side and between Jammu, Udhampur, and Katra in the Jammu region.
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The 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section, which includes the Chenab Bridge, received CRS authorisation on July 1. The Katra-Reasi segment, which features Tunnel 33 as a significant challenge, is not only complete now but also authorised for operations. Once operational, the project will ensure rail connectivity from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
