Reasi (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 11 : The Chenab Rail Bridge and Anji Khad Bridge have strengthened all-weather rail connectivity to Kashmir, integrating the Valley with the national railway network without interruption. The engineering landmarks on the 272-km Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link have connected the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country by train.
This connectivity enables apples, cherries, dry fruits, handicrafts and other products from Kashmir to access markets across India, while cement, automobiles, foodgrains, salt, fertilisers, milk and other essential and industrial goods can move into the Valley more efficiently.
Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Vineet Abhishek said a rail line existed earlier, but a 111-km stretch between Banihal and Katra was missing because of geographical challenges.
"We are in the Pir Panjal range, and the high mountain ranges, the gorges, the valleys, the rivers, they all posed humongous challenges to create this kind of infrastructure. The great thing is that the Indian Railways took it as a challenge, and we were able to deliver," he said.
Abhishek said the link is already changing trade. "The horticultural products from this region are going in the minimum possible time to be able to reach markets like Mumbai and Delhi. And similarly, the commodities that are needed here from the rest of the country can come here in the minimum possible time," he said.
Passengers aboard the Vande Bharat Express on the newly operational link praised the route and the speed of construction.
Nikhil, a civil engineer, told ANI, "We hadn't made this journey before, but the route that has been built is excellent. The effort behind it, the engineering and construction, is amazing. We are used to seeing development projects take 10 or 15 years, yet this was finished and opened within such a short timeframe."
He added, "As a civil engineer, I understand the process of constructing tunnels and such. So, it is truly impressive. The journey itself feels great."
Another passenger, Kuldeep Singh, said it was his first time travelling to Srinagar by train. "It was a great initiative by the government to link this region with the rest of India. Srinagar wasn't connected by rail before; now that it is, things have become much easier. Transportation is smoother, and people can travel with ease. It used to take so much time by road and now we are travelling on the Vande Bharat," he said.