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Under the USBRL project, speed tests were conducted on both the up and down routes between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal at speeds up to 110 km/h.
Under the USBRL project, the 46 km Sangaldan-Reasi section received CRS approval on July 1. (Photo: PTI/File)
The railway safety commissioner gave the nod to passenger and freight operations on the Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, marking the completion of the project and paving the way for commercial train services on the entire route.
According to the document accessed by CNN-News18trains will operate at a speed of up to 85 km/h on the main line while the exit speed is limited to 15 km/h. The accreditation, however, comes with certain terms and conditions.
Speed tests were conducted using a specially equipped test train equipped with an oscillation monitoring system (OMS) and pulled by an electric train. Tests were conducted on both the up and down routes between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Banihal, at speeds of up to 110 km/h.
In his letter of approval, CRS (commissioner of railway safety) Northern Circle Dinesh Chand Deshwal has given detailed observations and technical specifications from the tests. A senior railway official said: “This is a process. CRS inspects the section, noting every minute detail, which is important. Whenever any approval is given, it is accompanied by many technical studies. The report is good, and now that the authority has been obtained, we will fulfill the necessary conditions, and the work will start soon.”
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This document presents important details of the 16.5 km Katra-Reasi section, and mentions Bridge No 217 – Anji cable-stayed bridge. It highlights tunnel ventilation, fire safety measures, and other technical features of the section.
In one of its observations, CRS wrote: “A proper system for monitoring and updating the data of important and special bridges, that is, Bridge No. , and 220 (Reasi Bridge), will be established by CBE/NR. The RDSO must monitor the data generated by the instruments on a quarterly basis for the first five years of operation.”
In the report, CRS further said that given the many tunnels and bridges in this section and its lack of road connectivity, the railways should construct helips for emergencies. The report noted that since this section also has a ballastless track, it should be kept, along with other systems, under surveillance. It also notes that erosion mechanisms in some areas remain incomplete.
“This was the only phase that is still waiting for approval. Now we got it. It will take a few more days, and then we can expect the inauguration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said a railway official.
The official added: “Traveling by train on the world’s highest railway bridge, along with Anji Khad and other bridges and tunnels, will be unparalleled.”
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project was initially approved in 1994-1995. Trains were running between Sangaldan and Baramulla on the Kashmir side and between Jammu, Udhampur, and Katra on the Jammu side.
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The 46-km Sangaldan-Reasi section, which includes the Chenab Bridge, received CRS approval on July 1. The Katra-Reasi section, which includes Tunnel 33 as a major challenge, is not only complete now but also operational. Once operational, the project will ensure rail connectivity from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.