Katra-Qazigund track may take another 7 years, say railway officials

Even as the railway authorities are confident that the Kashmir valley section of the Udhampur-Baramulla railway project is likely to be operational by the beginning of next year, the completion of the Katra-Qazigund track, which would connect the Jammu region with the Kashmir valley, is expected to take much more time than scheduled.

The railway authorities said railway tracks of the Qazigund-Baramulla section in the Kashmir valley and Udhampur-Katta in the Jammu region were likely to be operational by next year. However, their early calculations regarding the completion of 142-km Katra-Quazigund section have been wrong.

According to these officials, Katra-Qazigund track would take at least another seven years for completion.

The most difficult part of the project, Katra-Qazigund railway track involves about 450 bridges and 40 tunnels besides the highest railway bridge of the world over river Chenab at Ramban(height 350 meters and length 1,250 meters).

Being touted as an engineering marvel, the longest tunnel would be 11.43 km and the track will also have a 77-metre high bridge on piers.

"This track is going to be an engineering marvel. This is the most challenging project in the history of Indian Railways. Consider this, 63 per cent of the track is in tunnels and 12 per cent on bridges," said an official of Konakan Railway Corporation, the railway subsidiary which is undertaking the construction of the track.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Northern Railways Rakesh Chopra, Director IRCON Ankush Krishan, and other officials recently visited the project sites in Kashmir valley to take stock of the progress.

The project is a priority for both the state and central governments and is closely being monitored by the Prime Minister's Office and the home ministry.

Meanwhile, a survey of the railway police to the state government has recommended three railway police lines at Srinagar, Jammu and Katra besides creation of railways police stations at Udhampur, Katra, Qazigund, Srinagar and Baramulla. The survey has also recommended creation of 26 police posts.