Editorial: Train to the Valley

Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project demonstrates the strength of India’s unity and its sustained focus on people-centred development

Less than two months after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the inauguration of a big-ticket railway project — an engineering marvel that connects the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country — sends an unmistakable signal to Pakistan. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project, a 272 km of tracks built at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore, demonstrates the strength of India’s unity and its sustained focus on people-centred development. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the prestigious project is also an emphatic expression of solidarity with the local people who have been bearing the brunt of cross-border terrorism. The symbolism of connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India’s rail network is not lost on anyone. It is a reaffirmation of the government’s stand that Kashmir was, is and will remain an integral and inalienable part of the country. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister rightly pointed out how Pakistan’s main objective was to deprive the residents of Kashmir of their livelihoods. By targeting tourists, the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists wanted to derail the local economy and foment trouble in the region. However, rapid infrastructure development and the creation of employment opportunities for the youth would be a fitting reply to Islamabad’s nefarious designs to foment trouble in the Valley. The peace and progress of Jammu & Kashmir should not be allowed to slacken at any cost. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took a commendable step last week when he cycled on the streets of Pahalgam and asserted that terrorism would not stop tourism.

The direct rail link to the Valley is a historic milestone that is bound to have a far-reaching impact on the development, trade, and tourism of Kashmir, and its closer all-round integration with the rest of the country. The USBRL passes through 36 tunnels and over 943 bridges, bringing Katra and Srinagar within 3 hours of each other. The project is an engineering feat as the Himalayas and the geologically unstable Shivalik Hills and Pir Panjal mountains lie in the seismically most active zones. The terrain is difficult and sees heavy snow in winter. Among the several firsts of this remarkable achievement of railway engineering are the world’s highest railway arch bridge, its arch rising 359 metres above the bed of the Chenab in Reasi district; the first cable-stayed bridge of the Railways on the Anji Khad, also in Reasi district; and the country’s longest transport tunnel, 12.77 km long, in Ramban district. While the new trains and connective infrastructure railway have a big role to play in restoring normalcy, the safety and security of people should be accorded top priority. This is inextricably linked with the safety of travellers. There is no doubt that the government is on the right track, and that augurs well for J&K.

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