World's Highest Bridge Connects Kashmir: First Freight Train Reaches Anantnag, USBRL Section Operational

REPRESENTATIVE PICTURE

In an historic milestone for the transport infrastructure of Jammu and Kashmir, the inaugural loaded freight train rolled into Anantnag Railway Station on Saturday, signaling the operational start of the pivotal Banihal-Sangaldan-Reasi-Katra segment of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.

This historical development effectively brings the Kashmir rail network into the larger Indian Railways freight corridor, ensuring the ease of movement of goods from anywhere in the country directly into the Valley. This new connectivity will effectively give the region's economy a major fillip through opening of new trade routes, lowering logistics costs for companies, assuring delivery of essential commodities throughout the year irrespective of weather, and consolidating regional connections into the national rail system.

The 272-kilometer long USBRL project, now almost commissioned, traverses Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam, and Baramulla districts of the Jammu and Kashmir region. Termend as one of the most difficult railway line projects executed in post-independence India, the course winds through the geologically intricate young Himalayas.

A marvel of engineering, the project features the world's tallest railway bridge on the Chenab river in Reasi district, which is 359 meters high above the river bed and measures 1315 meters in length. Further, India's first cable-stayed bridge has been built across Anji Khad with a bridge deck at 331 meters above the river bed.

Apart from its engineering achievements, the USBRL project has also made large socio-economic impacts. It has provided more than 5 crore man-days of employment and consisted of the construction of over 215 kilometers of approach roads, featuring a tunnel and 320 small bridges. The vast network of roads has greatly enhanced local connectivity and socio-economic status of the people.

With safety as the top priority, the USBRL project follows global standards. Mechanical air quality ventilation systems are provided for tunnels over 2 kilometers in length and firefighting systems. Escape tunnels, an aggregate of 66 kilometers, have been designed for all principal tunnels over 3 kilometers in length for the safety of passengers.

Emergency services in Jammu and Kashmir remain on standby, with restoration work constant in the face of continued rain. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has appealed to people to exercise caution and refrain from unnecessary travel, particularly in areas prone to landslides.