PM to visit Chenab, Anji Khad bridges; interact with workers
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 2: As per the earlier itinerary when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate train services to the Valley from holy town of Katra, the base camp of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji shrine in Reasi district of Jammu region, on April 19, his schedule is almost the same for June 6 when he will flag off train to Kashmir.
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Sources told the Excelsior that Modi will land at Udhampur Defence airport from New Delhi from where he will fly to rail bridge over river Chenab in Reasi district which is highest bridge in the world surpassing Eiffel tower of Paris. He will inspect the bridge and get detailed briefing from the Railway officials on its completion under challenging circumstances.
The Prime Minister is expected to spend 20 minutes at the bridge. He will travel in train from highest rail bridge to Katra and will have stop at India’s first Cable Stayed bridge over Anji Khad.
At this bridge, he will interact with Railway engineers, workers etc who were involved in construction of bridges over river Chenab and first Cable Stayed besides completion of other works on Katra-Baramulla track. The Railway workers who were involved in execution of the project but have since retired will also be called to the event for interaction with Modi, the sources said.
The Prime Minister will then travel to Katra and flag off Vande Bharat train from Katra to Baramulla. Simultaneously, another Vande Bharat train from Baramulla to Katra will be flagged off virtually by him.
Modi will address a massive rally at Katra Stadium before returning to New Delhi.
This will be the Prime Minister’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir during ongoing Operation Sindoor and post April 22 terror attack at Baisaran (Pahalgam) in which 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local were killed.
The Railway authorities are yet to come up with revised schedule of trains operating between Katra and Baramulla. Vande Bharat is certain to operate between Katra to Baramulla daily, schedule of other trains will be decided in next few days, the sources said.
“Possibility of extension of Jammu Mail or Jhelum Express to Baramulla is under consideration but no decision has been taken so far. However, goods trains as per the season are certain to operate from Baramulla to New Delhi, Mumbai and other such destinations based on the requirements,” the sources said.
Military Specials, if required, would also run.
As reported, special trains could also operate for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrims if the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is blocked because of Monsoon rains.
As per the sources, initially the train will run from Katra to Baramulla. However, after completion of expansion work at Jammu Railway Station including increase in number of platforms, the train to Valley will start operations from Jammu, most likely in August-September.
There will be no direct train from Delhi or any other part to Kashmir at present. The passengers will have to de-board at Katra and change the train. Later, the same process will shift to Jammu.
Out of the total 272-kilometre, Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, 209- kilometre was commissioned in phases with the first phase of the 118-kilometre Qazigund-Baramulla section commissioned in October 2009, followed by 18-kilometre Banihal-Qazigund in June 2013, 25-kilometre Udhampur-Katra in July 2014 and 48.1-kilometre long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch in February, last year.
The work on the 46- kilometre Sangaldan-Reasi section was also completed in June last year, leaving a total of 17 kilometer stretch between Reasi and Katra which was also completed nearly three months back leading to start of different trials of trains including that of Vande Bharat.
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