Jammu-Baramulla railway link is a dream since 1994 with many ifs and buts attached to it. Numerous hiccups which include a huge thirty thousand crore investment, major earthquake zones, inhospitable terrain and extreme weather conditions, all factors somehow contributing to inordinate delays at one or another point in time. Scheduled to be completed by 2007, the project is still on a camel ride, facing even-day and odd-day policies resulting in further delays. The 356 km railway track had suspected geological issues as per earlier alignment between Katra and Qazigund, a committee was formed and a new shorter alignment track was proposed. With so many factors working against it, the project was moving at a snail’s pace till 2002 when ultimately it was declared as a National Project and after that, the momentum picked up. Divided into four legs: Leg 0 of 53 km from Jammu to Udhampur was completed and commissioned in 2005, Leg 1 from Udhampur to Katra of 25 km was completed and commissioned in 2014, Leg 3 of 135 km from Banihal to Baramulla completed and commissioned in 2013, it is only Leg 2 of 111 km from Katra to Banihal section which is still pending and facing unnecessary delays due to various reasons. This section consists of multiple tunnels and bridges, a few over Chenab, factually the world’s highest railway bridge is in this section only. 2022 was the completion year, but as in earlier cases it just proved to be another superficial deadline. On critiquing the analysis of the three main agencies working on project IRCON, AFCON and Konkan Railways shocking facts were highlighted revealing the inefficiency of various Government Departments mainly from District Ramban and Reasi. While on one hand despite compensation and land transfer yet Forest Department halted the work and on the other hand money was submitted for a water connection but Jal Shakti Department was unable to provide a water connection. Illegal power connections by villagers on railway power lines were reported to Power Department but no action was taken, shifting of the 11KV line near Police Station Sangaldan and laying of 132 KV Katra to Reasi is also moving at a snail’s pace, brought to the notice of respective department but no remedial action. Delay in NOC for the concrete batching plant at Sangaldan by Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board is another serious issue. Nachlana-Khari road requires a major repair beyond the scope of the railway line execution agency, already brought to the notice of the concerned but no action, resulting in major logistic issues at the construction site. Another major issue is inadequate security cover which has been reduced to half and the view of present target killings and series of incidents in Jammu Division raises serious security concerns that respective SSPs have failed to resolve.
All these outcomes of meetings just point to one thing, District Administrations of both Ramban and Reasi are not taking highlighted issues seriously, and a national project is facing repeated delays due to the incompetence of certain departments as such demand immediate intervention from higher authorities. Divisional Commissioner has rightly initiated corrective measures and DCs have been directed to facilitate early resolution of unnecessary problems and present the action taken report. It is a matter of concern that the naivete attitude of district administration is just making things obfuscate for agencies at work. Gratuitous reasons are not going to work and indecision for years together is no more acceptable. In this Digital India where certain time limits are set for delivering services yet the DC office itself not responding for years is a serious issue and requires proper investigation. Katra – Banihal section is the most tedious section as such coordination from various departments must be assured. On completion, this railway line is bound to change the socio and economic condition of Jammu and Kashmir. This last Leg of the railway line must see the daylight now.
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