Page 28 - NIS English 01-15 February, 2025

COVER STORY
RAILWAYS' TRANSFORMATION
JAMMU BECOMES THE NEW DIVISION
OF RAILWAYS

Indian Railways has set up a new railway division in Jammu
under Northern Railway, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on January 6, 2025. The headquarters of Jammu
Division is located in Jammu city which is an important station for
connecting India to the far northern regions. This division will meet
the rail transport needs of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal
Pradesh, and parts of Punjab. The new division has been created
by dividing the existing Ferozepur Division of Northern Railway. The
jurisdiction of the new division includes 11 important goods sheds/
goods terminals, which will help transport food grains, petroleum,
cement, sugar, coal, fertilizers, seasonal fruits, and vegetables. This
division has 3 Gati Shakti cargo points. A freight management
terminal is being built at Bari Brahmana near Jammu. There is also
a plan to build three goods sheds in the Kashmir region.

UDHAMPUR-SRINAGAR-BARAMULLA RAIL LINK
PROJECT COMPLETED

To provide an alternative and reliable transport system to
Jammu & Kashmir, the Government of India had planned a 272
km long railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla under the
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL) which
will connect Kashmir Valley with the Indian Railways network. The
project involves the laying of a railway line in extremely rugged
and mountainous terrain with the most difficult and complex
Himalayan geology with the construction of a large number of
tunnels and bridges. The rail link has been completed and soon the
direct rail journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will commence.
n Udhampur-Katra (25 km): Commissioned in July 2014.
n Banihal-Qazigund (18 km): Section completed and commissioned
in June 2013, including the 11.2 km T-80 Pir Panjal tunnel.
n Qazigund-Baramulla (118 km): Work done in a phased manner
and section commissioned, the final part of which was opened
in 2009.
n Katra-Banihal (111 km): Banihal-Sangdalan (48 km) dedicated to
the nation, Reasi-Sangdalan (46 km) work was completed on 20
February 2024 and CRS certification was received on 1 July 2024.
n Katra-Reasi (17 km): Work completed and CRS certification
received.

then another very big revolution attracting investment percent electrification. Initiatives like Namo Bharat and
take place. That is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi Vande Bharat and modernization of railway stations
says, "I am not in the habit of dreaming small dreams under the Amrit Bharat Railway Station Yojana have
and going slow. I want to guarantee today's young been listed. This trinity of Amrit Bharat, Vande Bharat,
generation that by the end of this decade, you will not and Namo Bharat will symbolize the modernization of
find India's trains lagging behind anyone in the world." Indian Railways by the end of this decade.
With the efforts of the Central Government, Indian
Railways is achieving new heights in the world in safety, SOPHISTICATED RAILWAYS FOR
cleanliness, facilities, coordination, sensitivity, and DEVELOPING INDIA
capacity. Indian Railways is close to the target of 100 Modernization of railway stations is necessary for

26 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR | February 1-15, 2025