JAMMU: Northern Railways conducted another successful trial run on the Katra-Banihal section Saturday as a part of a statutory inspection before the formal commencement of rail services to Kashmir Valley.
As many as six trial runs have been completed in a month on multiple sections of the 272km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project — including on India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge — and the world’s highest railway bridge, the iconic arch bridge over Chenab at Kauri, both in Reasi district.
USBRL chief administrative officer Sandeep Gupta said: “We were part of this trial run and it was successful.” Officials from USBRL, Northern Railway and construction companies accompanied Gupta on the trial run. Now, the commissioner of railway safety would conduct statutory inspections and trials on Jan 7-8 and submit a report, which would guide further action on the commencement of train services to Kashmir valley, Gupta said.
The 272km USBRL project — declared a National Project in March 2002 — aims to provide rail connectivity between Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country via a broad-gauge railway line. The Anji Khad Bridge, featuring a single pylon rising 331m above the riverbed, is another engineering milestone achieved under the project besides the iconic arch bridge at Kauri in Reasi district, 359m above the riverbed.