The Hindu : Front Page : Train to Udhampur brings the Kashmir Valley closer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 14, 2005

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Train to Udhampur brings the Kashmir Valley closer

Sandeep Joshi

An engineering marvel, the project will boost tourism: Manmohan

UDHAMPUR (JAMMU AND KASHMIR): The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday took yet another step towards bridging the gap between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country by dedicating to the nation the 54.85-km-long Jammu-Udhampur rail line and flagging off the tri-weekly Uttar Sampark Kranti Express that will run between Udhampur and New Delhi.

Though it has taken over two decades to complete the Rs. 515-crore rail line that will pass through a highly treacherous hilly terrain, Dr. Singh assured the State people that the entire 342-km rail line from Jammu to Baramulla via Udhampur, Katra, Qazigund and Srinagar would be completed by 2007. "Money will be not be an issue for this project and we have already sanctioned Rs. 1,000 crores in this year's Railway Budget," he said.

"The highly-ambitious project will greatly benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It will not only give a cheaper travel option to [the] people, but also prove to be a major boost for the tourism sector. It will also give a fillip to the State's economy," he said, adding that he hoped the project would help the Government's efforts to ensure speedy and all-round development of the State.

Terming the project an engineering marvel, Dr. Singh said the railway engineers were ready to face the challenge of constructing the 142-km Katra-Qazigund line — the most difficult section of the entire project which passes through the Pir Panjal ranges.

"On this route," he said, "a 90-km stretch will be covered via tunnels, with one tunnel being almost 12-km long, while there will be a 1.5-km-long bridge 400 metres over the Chenab." The Railway Ministry had taken up the project of laying the 212-km Jammu-Pathankot-Jallandhar double line that would cost over Rs. 400 crores.

Lalu's assurance

The Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, said two projects would provide employment to the local youth. A sleeper-manufacturing factory would be opened at Kathua The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Lt.Gen. (retd.) S.K. Sinha, and the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, were also present.

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