Rs 26.41 crore pegged for survey of 190 km length
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 10: In a significant development aimed at strengthening rail connectivity to border districts in the Jammu region, the Ministry of Railways has approved the conduct of a Final Location Survey (FLS) for the proposed Reasi-Poonch new railway line under the Northern Railway.
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According to an official communication, issued by the Railway Board , the survey will cover an approximate length of 190 kilometers from Reasi to Poonch and the estimated cost for carrying out this exercise has been pegged at Rs 26.41 crore.
The approval has been granted after a proposal in this regard was submitted by the Northern Railway in December 2025, following low traffic projection in the survey carried out earlier for a new 223-km rail line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajouri.
The Final Location Survey will determine the feasibility and alignment of the proposed line, which is seen as a significant step towards expanding rail infrastructure in the Jammu region.
Pertinent to mention that the Final Location Survey is a crucial step in the planning process of any new railway line, as it determines the most feasible alignment, technical requirements, and cost estimates for the project.
The Reasi-Poonch rail link, once executed, is expected to significantly enhance connectivity in the border district , providing a major boost to transportation, tourism, and economic development in the remote areas along the Line of Control in Jammu region .
Officials sources told the Excelsior that that copies of the sanction order for Final Location Survey have been received by the key authorities, including the CAO (C) Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Line (USBRL), Jammu; Principal Financial Advisor of Northern Railway and the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office, for necessary action and oversight.
As per the official communication, the expenditure for the survey will be met under Demand No. 85, which pertains to policy formulation, research, and miscellaneous expenditures of the Indian Railways.
The project is also likely to complement ongoing strategic railway initiatives in the region, including connectivity works under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), further integrating remote areas with the national railway network. The sanction of the FLS marks an important preliminary milestone, with further approvals and construction phases expected after completion and evaluation of the survey, sources said.
Earlier, survey for a new 223-km rail line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajouri was carried out and the project cost was assessed as Rs 22,771 crore. But it had low traffic projections.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had informed that survey for new line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajouri (223km) was carried out. The cost of the project was assessed as Rs 22,771 crore, but the project has low traffic projections, he said.
The Minister had explained that railway projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes including connectivity to hilly and border areas, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations and the likes.
A low traffic projection for a railway project means that feasibility studies – which analyze potential ridership or freight volume, suggest that the future demand for the railway will not meet the expected threshold for economic viability. This finding often leads to delays or cancellation of the project.
Following low traffic projection in the survey for new line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajouri, Northern Railway had recommended Final Location Survey for Reasi-Poonch new line through its communication No. 01-Dy.CE/C/JAT/FLS/JAT-Poonch, dated 10-12-2025 to the Railway Board, which accorded its sanction.
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