Kashmir I March 19, 2025– Indian Railways has recently initiated five surveys in Jammu and Kashmir to enhance connectivity across the Union Territory, with a focus on hilly and border areas. These efforts include plans for four new rail lines and the doubling of an existing section, as announced by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in response to a question in the Lok Sabha.
The new railway line surveys cover the Baramulla-Uri route (46 km), the Sopore-Kupwara route (37 km), the Anantnag-Pahalgam route (78 km), and the Avantipore-Shopian route (28 km). Additionally, a survey is underway for doubling the Banihal-Baramulla section, which spans 118 km. Vaishnaw also revealed that a survey for a new line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnur and Rajauri (223 km) was completed, with an estimated cost of Rs 22,771 crore. However, this project faces hurdles due to low traffic projections, casting uncertainty over its future.
The minister highlighted that the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, spanning a total length of 272 km, has already been completed. This transformative railway infrastructure connects the districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam, and Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir, providing a vital link between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.
Vaishnaw emphasized that the sanctioning of railway projects is a continuous and dynamic process for Indian Railways. “Railway infrastructure projects are taken up based on remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links, and alternate routes, including connectivity to hilly and border areas, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, and socio-economic considerations. These decisions depend on the liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds, and competing demands,” he stated.
The surveys reflect Indian Railways’ commitment to improving railway infrastructure in challenging terrains, though challenges like low traffic projections and funding constraints may impact the pace of implementation. These initiatives are poised to strengthen connectivity and support development in Jammu and Kashmir, aligning with broader national goals for inclusive growth.