Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday announced the successful electric engine trial from Sangaldan to Reasi, which included crossing the Chenab Bridge.Vaishnav in his X post said that, “1st trial train has successfully run from Sangaldan to Reasi, including crossing the Chenab Bridge. All construction works for the USBRL are nearly finished, with only tunnel No.1 remaining partially incomplete.”
As the project nears its final stages, the commissioner of railways safety (CRS), D C Deshwal, is scheduled to conduct a two-day inspection of the 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section on June 27 and 28. Deepak Kumar, chief public relations officer of Northern Railway, assured that all necessary work would be completed before the inspection.
The USBRL project, which spans 272 km, has faced significant challenges due to complex geological and topographical conditions. Since its inception in 1997, 209 km of the route has been commissioned in phases. The remaining 17 km stretch between Reasi and Katra is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year, finally linking Kashmir with the rest of the country by rail.
Sources within the Railways indicate that the inaugural train between Sangaldan and Reasi is expected to commence on June 30, following the successful trial run. Last month, Shobhan Chaudhuri, the General Manager of Northern Railway, inspected the Chenab Bridge and the Bakkal-Duggar-Sawalkote-Sangaldan section to assess the project’s progress.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also took to X to share the news: “The train service from #Ramban (Sangaldan) to #Reasi via the world’s highest railway bridge built on river Chenab to begin soon. The #Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (#USBRL) project will be completed by year-end.”
The Chenab Rail Bridge, standing at a towering 359 meters above the riverbed and 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower, is a critical component of the USBRL project.