Final inspection & trials by CRS on Jan 7-8
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 4: Ahead of final inspection, Railway conducted successful trial run of the train on entire Katra-Banihal section of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) Project today.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of USBRL Project, Sandeep Gupta, along with officials from USBRL, Northern Railway, and construction companies, was onboard during the first train run between Katra and Banihal.
Click here to watch video
It will be followed by final inspections and trials on the stretch by the Commissioner of Railway Safety next week to determine the commencement of rail service to Kashmir.
So far, the Railways has conducted six trials over the past month on various segments of the track, including major milestones such as India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad bridge, and the iconic arch bridge over the Chenab at Kauri – the world’s highest railway bridge.
“Under the safety trials, we conducted today’s trial. We were part of this run, and it was successful,” Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of USBRL Project, Sandeep Gupta told reporters.
He said that the Commissioner of Railway Safety would conduct statutory inspections and trials on January 7 and 8. “After that, the Commissioner will submit a report, which will guide further action on starting train services to Kashmir,” he said.
“Everything has worked well so far. We will return to Katra at a speed of 75 kmph. When the Commissioner of Railway Safety conducts trials, they will be at 110 kmph. This trial is in preparation for that,” Gupta added.
The first train run between Katra and Banihal thrilled passengers as it passed through snow-covered mountains, where nature’s beauty met engineering marvels. The train reached Banihal Railway Station around 1:30 pm, officials said.
The Anji Khad bridge, featuring a single pylon rising 331 m above the riverbed, is another engineering milestone achieved under the USBRL project. Described as a “true engineering marvel”, the bridge has 48 cables on its lateral and central spans. Construction of the pylon began in 2017, with the structure now standing 191 m above its foundation level. It is the second-highest railway bridge after the iconic arch bridge over the Chenab at Kauri, which is the world’s highest railway bridge at 359 metres above the riverbed – 35 m taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Anji Khad Bridge has a total length of 473.25 m, with the viaduct spanning 120 m and the central embankment measuring 94.25 m.
In November, Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the Vande Bharat train connecting Kashmir to New Delhi on the USBRL project in January.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
