PM set to inaugurate USBRL railway project on Friday
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Srinagar: The 272-kilometer Kashmir Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project, which will link the landlocked Valley with the nation's rail system, will be officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6. This is his first visit to Jammu & Kashmir after ‘Operation Sindoor’.
“History in the making… Just 3 days to go! The mighty #ChenabBridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, stands tall in #JammuandKashmir. Part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL). Built to withstand nature’s toughest tests. PM Sh @narendramodi to inaugurate the #ChenabBridge on 6th June 2025. A proud symbol of New India’s strength and vision!,” Union MoS PMO Jitendra Singh posted on X, TNIE reported.
According to sources, the prime minister will travel to Katra by train after inaugurating the Chenab bridge. They further stated that the Prime Minister will pay a visit to India's first cable-stayed bridge over Anji Khad.
He will flag off a Vande Bharat train from Katra to Baramulla (northern Kashmir) and another from Baramulla to Katra, they said. The inauguration of the train service by PM was intended for April 19 but was postponed due to bad weather. PM Modi will hold a public gathering at Sports Ground in Katra, a base camp for pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi.
PM Modi is anticipated to speak in detail on the operation initiated to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror assault, which claimed 26 lives, as this would be his first public rally since May 7's 'Operation Sindoor'.
The commencement of the train service will bring an end to the 70-year wait for a direct rail to Kashmir. Trains are currently running between Sangaldan and Baramulla in the Valley, as well as from Katra to several cities across India.
Due to security concerns, the trains would have to halt at Katra railway station, where passengers would have to disembark (whether from outside Kashmir or inside the Valley) and join another train for their next destination.
The Vande Bharat train that travels through Kashmir was constructed to withstand the region's weather conditions. Due to security concerns, trains will only run on the Kashmir line during the day, while security deployments are withdrawn in the evening. The work on the 272-kilometer Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project, which costs Rs 41,000, was started in 2005-06.
The USBRL project includes 38 tunnels (total length of 119 kilometres). T-49 is the country's longest transportation tunnel, measuring 12.76 kilometres.
