vIndianz.com (28 Oct, 2009) — After almost nine years of waiting an additional critical component of the Kashmir train line – between Qazigund and Baramullah got complete, linking South Kashmir to its north. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is already on a two-day trip to the state, today inaugurated the vital rail link.
This is at present the fastest means to take a trip across the beautiful Kashmir Valley: Taking about two hours as in opposition to the four hour journey by road.
“This will connect us to every state. It will bring profits. If sending goods in trucks costs Rs 10,000, on a train it will cost just Rs 2, 000,” said Ali Muhammad, a Qazigund local resident.
Even as the line is complete and all set to roll, the project is not yet ready. At the moment Baramulla and Qazigund are linked at one ending and Katra and Jammu on the other. However the most fundamental fraction – 70 kilometers in flanked by linking Qazigund to Katra – is in progress. It’s a course that passes all the way through the steep Pir Panjal Mountains. The project is an engineering spectacle of sorts.
Once it is built, the 290 kilometre trail will show off with about 750 rail bridges and hundreds of kilometres of tunnels.
The longest tunnel in this would stretch up to 11 kilometres, the highest rail bridge is at 359 metres, and the longest bridge will be 1,315 metres stretched across Chenab River.
At one spot in the Pir Panjal Mountains the track is built at a whopping height of 11,000 feet. The project cut-off date is 2017.
“The whole area is mountainous and there are a number of tunnels. This area has deep gorges, rivers like Chenab and Alji, and bridges that are very high,” said Hari Shankar Yadav, the chief engineer.
Travelling in this train is like a dream come true for every Kashmiri and even other people who wish to visit these beautiful lands. It will function from South to North Kashmir linking the complete Kashmir valley. Now the only big question lingering is how much time will it take to get linked with the rest of the Indian Railway network.
Further Reading- Commuters a harried lot – Times of India
- Goods train derails in Bihar, rail traffic disrupted – Times of India
- Geelani calls for shutdown in Valley on May 14 – Times of India
- Scott’s three reasons for rejecting rail unjustified – Bradenton Herald
- Kanpur-Delhi train services disrupted – Economic Times
- Kashmir panel discusses Valley’s situation with separatists – Hindustan Times
- Kashmir panel discusses Valley’s situation with separatists – Hindustan Times
- Fog disrupts train traffic in north India, 55 trains running late – The Hindu
- At least 8 dead in head-on German train collision – Reuters
- Money was behind Kashmir protests: Militant leader – Hindustan Times
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