New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir’s challenging terrain is steadily yielding to a new era of connectivity and rail, road and air projects are no longer separate initiatives; together, they now function as one integrated network, a government factsheet showed on Saturday.

The Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) has connected the valley to India’s rail network.

Its centrepiece, the Chenab Bridge, stands as the world’s highest railway arch bridge.

Expanded Vande Bharat services improve passenger mobility. New freight terminals are carrying Kashmiri apples, saffron and handicrafts to national markets, opening opportunities for farmers and businesses.

“On land, the Sonamarg and Zojila tunnels promise year-round passage into Ladakh. In the air, Srinagar’s expanding airport is complemented by nascent hubs at Udhampur and Kishtwar. Together, these advances are drawing Kashmir’s produce, trade and tourism firmly into the national mainstream,” said the factsheet.

The USBRL project was inaugurated in June 2025. Built at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore, the USBRL project covers the districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir.

The project stretches 272 kilometres through the rugged Himalayas; it includes 36 tunnels that span 119 kilometres and 943 bridges.

It is opening new opportunities for mobility, trade, and tourism. As part of the USBRL project, over 215 km (including a tunnel and 320 bridges) of roads have been constructed, which are useful for communities. Additionally, the USBRL project is fully electrified both in tunnels and in open stretches, said the factsheet.

Under the USBRL project, the world’s highest railway arch bridge has been built over the Chenab River in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Chenab bridge, inaugurated in June 2025, is 1,315 metre long.

Moreover, the Vande Bharat Express in Jammu and Kashmir first began operations in June 2025, between Katra and Srinagar.

To further enhance railway connectivity, the Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat Express service was extended to Jammu Tawi Railway Station in April 2026. The distance from Jammu to Srinagar is now covered in less than five hours.

Road infrastructure is expanding alongside railway infrastructure. In August 2026, foundation stones were laid for 110 road projects covering 598.455 km under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-IV.

Costing more than Rs 1,500 crore, the projects are expected to benefit 46,972 people across the Udhampur–Kathua–Doda–Kishtwar region.

—IANS

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