90% Work completed on USBRL Project connecting Kashmir to rest of India: Railway Minister

Ministry of Railways informed via a social media post that the USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) has completed 90 per cent of the construction of a broad-gauge railway line through the Himalayas which is intended to connect Kashmir with the rest of India.

The post mentioned the work in progress. Around 162.6 km out of 163.88 km of tunnel mining under the Katra-Banihal Section is completed, while 31.3 km of total of 117.7 km of track laying has also been done.

Additionally, out of 26, construction of 21 major bridges has been completed along with 11 minor ones. The initial three phases of the railway project are completed. Significant construction of 111 km between Katra and Banihal is under process.

The development project is one of the biggest mountain railway projects post-Independence. It was declared as a National Importance Project in March 2002.

The rail line is divided into three sections– 25 km from Udhampur to Katra, 18 km from Banihal to Qazigund and 118 km from Qazigund to Baramulla.

Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State has shared the ongoing construction images of the Anji Khad bridge under the USBRL project. The project is expected to complete by the end of this year.