Latest news with #JammuDivision
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Katra-Sangaldan section: PM set to inaugurate final rail stretch to Kashmir on Friday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off two specially designed Vande Bharat trains running between Srinagar and Katra on June 6, marking the completion of a project to link Kashmir to the rest of the country, which was first initiated 42 years ago. The last stretch of the 272-km-long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (USBRL) was the 111-km Katra-Banihal section, which was finished in January. The PM was to initially inaugurate this section on April 19, but the event was cancelled due to the forecast for inclement weather. The inauguration was further delayed because of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22, followed by the conflict between India and Pakistan. The Vande Bharat trains to be inaugurated by Modi include one running from Katra to Srinagar, and the other from Srinagar to Katra. However, the PM will not be travelling to Srinagar for this. Sources said the government wants to inaugurate the line before the celebration of the first anniversary of the Modi-led government's third term, on June 9. An official said: 'The PM will inaugurate the complete stretch of the USBRL, Chenab Bridge and Anji Bridge. Along with this, he will flag off the two Vande Bharat trains for the route. All the preparations have been completed. Security is being beefed up in the area.' On Monday, the newly formed Jammu Division, headquartered at Jammu Tawi and operating under Northern Railway, became operational. The 70th division of the Indian Railways will oversee a substantial area, primarily consisting of sections transferred from the existing Firozpur Division, which is as old as the Indian Railways. Currently, local trains are operational in the USBRL's 184-km stretch between Sangaldan in Jammu's Ramban district and Kashmir's Baramulla, and in the 25-km section between Udhampur and Katra in Jammu. It is the 63-km Katra-Sangaldan section that is awaiting inauguration for the line to be completed. The estimated cost of the USBRL is over Rs 43,000 crore, of which Rs 35,000 crore was spent on the Katra-Banihal section. The Vande Bharat trains will run only between Srinagar and Katra for now, senior Railway officials said. Passengers who get onto the Vande Bharat from Srinagar will have to change trains at the Katra Railway Station for their onward journey for the time being. The same goes for passengers travelling in the reverse direction, who would have to catch the Vande Bharat to the Valley from Katra. Earlier, it had been reported that this was for security reasons, with the trains coming or going to Srinagar subjected to further checks. This had been objected to by political leaders in Kashmir, who said it defeated the whole idea of a train to the Valley. A railway official told The Indian Express Monday that the trains coming to and from Kashmir would halt or start from Katra as work on the expansion of the Jammu Railway Yard is in progress. The work is expected to be completed by August-September and after that, passengers to and from Srinagar can come up to Jammu directly, before taking trains to other places. It was in 1983 that the then Indira Gandhi-led Congress government laid the foundation stone for a Udhampur-Srinagar railway line. However, work on the project only gained momentum after the A B Vajpayee-led NDA government declared it a national project in 2002. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
New Jammu Railway Division effective from June 1. What it means for the Kashmir line
The newly formed Jammu Division, headquartered at Jammu Tawi and operating under Northern Railway, has come into effect from June 1. The 70th division of Indian Railways will oversee a substantial area, primarily consisting of sections transferred from the existing Firozpur Division, which is as old as the Indian Railways. The first railway line of the area, from Amritsar to Atari, was opened in April 1862. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jammu Railway Division on January 6, 2025, the first division in the Himalayan region, which will handle many projects of strategic importance. According to the gazette notification published May 29, 2025, the key sections now under the control of the 742 kilometre-Jammu Division include Pathankot – Jammu – Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan – Srinagar – Baramulla (423 kms), Bhogpur Sirwal – Pathankot (87 km), Batala – Pathankot (68 km) and Pathankot – Joginder Nagar narrow gauge section (164 km). The Railway Board has defined the specific divisional boundaries between the new Jammu Division and the Firozpur Division, which will be located at km 27.750 on the Jalandhar-Pathankot Section and at km 39.150 on the Amritsar-Pathankot section. With the formation of the new Jammu Division, the Firozpur Division's jurisdiction will be revised, controlling the remaining areas, excluding the sections transferred to Jammu. The decision to carve out a separate division in Northern Railway is significant for Indian Railways' ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link (USBRL), also called the Kashmir line, which is partially operational. The most arduous section, Katra-Banihal (111 km), is also complete, and awaits inauguration to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country by the Indian Railways. A senior officer of the Northern Railway said the Jammu Division will meet the transport needs of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Punjab. The Jammu Division covers the 11 important goods sheds/goods terminals, which will help transport food grains, petroleum, cement, sugar, coal, fertilisers, seasonal fruits, and vegetables. 'The major problem for these areas with the Firozpur Division was the distance. Since the new division is headquartered in Jammu, it will be very helpful for executing projects in the border areas. It will also help in the continuous monitoring of projects like USBRL, as these are of national importance. We will also be able to develop passenger facilities well. Manpower is being increased in the division by the Railways. Officers have been appointed to many senior posts, including Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). This division also has the Kangra Valley Railway line, which is the longest narrow-gauge line in the country. We will be able to manage it well,' said Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Northern Railway. Upadhyay added that the new division was important because after the completion of USBRL, the Indian Railways is now moving ahead to expand its lines towards border areas, which is planned to go all the way to Leh. Vivek Kumar, the first DRM of Jammu Division, said the formation of a new division is not only important for connectivity with Kashmir, but also for defence purposes, as the area is strategically placed. 'This is the most challenging division because of the difficult terrain and landslide-prone areas. So, for the effective implementation of the project in the region, a new division was necessary as Firozpur is very far from here. Now, we are closely monitoring all kinds of railway works. We are fully prepared for the inauguration of a complete stretch of USBRL. Because the notification for the division has come, all the remaining posts will be filled, and more manpower will move here. We have created the administrative layer for working,' said Kumar, who was earlier posted as Executive Director, Signal and Telecommunication (S&T) development. Kumar was also involved in the train protection system KAVACH. Explaining the significance of the new division, Kumar said, 'For the first time, we have transported 25 tonnes of cherries from Katra to Mumbai. We attached a parcel van with a passenger, a train and the first consignment of Kashmir farmers was sent. The goods, which used to take 6-7 days to be sent by road and there was also a risk of them getting spoiled, will now reach in just 30 hours. The advantage of forming a new division is that the Railways work according to the needs of the people of that area. Decision making becomes easy, and the productivity of the department increases.' According to the response tabled by the Ministry of Railways in Lok Sabha on March 12, 2025, the Indian Railways has taken up five surveys falling in Jammu and Kashmir. These new proposed lines include Baramulla-Uri New Line (46 km), Sopore-Kupwara New Line (37 km), Anantnag-Pahalgam New Line (78 km), Avantipore-Shopian New Line (28 km) and Banihal-Baramulla doubling (118 km). The survey for a new line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnur and Rajauri (223 km) was also carried out. The cost of the project was assessed as Rs. 22,771 crores. But it was found that the project has low traffic projections. Apart from this, the 552-km Bhanupli-Leh line is another major project of the Indian Railways, which will connect Bhanupli in Punjab to Leh in Ladakh. After USBRL, it is going to be another challenging project as the line traverses through the difficult terrain of the Himalayas. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor: Railways felicitates 209 employees of Jammu division for 'excellent service'
Over 200 employees of operating and commercial department of Northern Railway's Jammu division were on Tuesday felicitated here for providing excellent service during Operation Sindoor , an official said. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu Division, Uchit Singhal handed over certificates to 209 employees at a special programme organised by the railways in their honour for their duties with dedication. Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor early May 7 in response to the dastardly April 22 Pahalgam massacre. "The main objective of the program was to honour the employees of the operating and commercial department of Jammu division who provided excellent service during operation Sindoor," Singhal said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Seniors in the Philippines Can Enjoy Affordable Private Health Insurance! (See List) Health Insurance | Search Ads Search Now Undo He said all the trains were operated by the Operating Department as per their scheduled time and the Commercial Department helped the passengers to reach their destinations safely during the tense situation. The employees of both the departments took special care of the safety and facilities of the passengers and helped them coming from outside to reach their destination station conveniently, the senior divisional manager said. Live Events During this time, he said many reserved special trains were also operated in the Jammu division to facilitate the stranded passengers to return. The Railway Ministry had issued a special advisory for all the employees of the department in the wake of Operation Sindoor. The advisory was strictly followed by the employees and along with respecting the Indian Army soldiers, special attention was paid to ensure their reservation on priority, arrangement for stay at the station and seating during travel in trains, he said.
