The Ministry of Railways has proposed the construction of a 40.2 km railway line between Baramulla and Uri. The move carries immense strategic importance as it will bring the trains in Kashmir to the Line of Control (LoC).
The track has both economic and strategic importance as it will not only benefit the residents of Uri but also the thousands of troops deployed along the LoC.
The rail line will ease travel for troops from Uri to regions outside Kashmir. In case of military confrontation, the rail line will help ferry troops and equipment in large numbers faster.
The proposal was mooted at the 99th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) in New Delhi to evaluate infrastructure projects under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
The rail line will ensure an all-weather, reliable connectivity. It will reduce dependency on road travel, which is vulnerable to the vagaries of weather, especially in winter.
The line has also been designated as part of a strategic corridor. It will also give a boost to tourism in Uri where the Kaman Post, a bridge that connects Uri with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is located.
The bridge attracts a lot of locals and tourists from different parts of India. The Kaman Post was one of the five crossing points at the LoC for divided families living on either side of the LoC to meet their relatives.
An official statement said, “As Uri, located near the LoC in Kaman Post, has already emerged as a border tourism destination, the new railway line will give a significant boost to tourism.”
The proposed railway line will include three Road Under Bridges (RUBs) and nine Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and will be developed as a new single broad-gauge line, requiring fresh land acquisition.
The railway ministry has also cleared the proposal to double the 73.5-kilometre Qazigund–Budgam line, currently operating as a single track.
It will allow for smoother operations, reduce delays and create greater capacity for both passenger and freight movement. Importantly, this line has also been recognised as a Hill and Strategic Corridor, supporting defence logistics.