Surveys taken up for key railway projects in Jammu & Kashmir, says Vaishnaw
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the status of three major upcoming rail projects in Jammu & Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha on Friday (August 7
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the status of three major upcoming rail projects in Jammu & Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha on Friday (August 7, 2026). These projects will widen the rail network and ease regional bottlenecks, he said. Vaishnaw said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for laying the third line connecting Jalandhar Cantonment to Jammu Tawi, spanning 216 km, has been completed. Additional Final Location Survey sanction for laying another line along Jammu-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (78 km) and for the Jammu/Reasi-Poonch new line (190 km) has been sanctioned for the DPRs, and field surveys have been taken up. “After preparation of DPR, project requires consultation with various stakeholders including State governments and necessary approvals like appraisal of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance etc.
As consultation with stakeholders is a continuous and dynamic process, exact timelines cannot be fixed,” Mr. Vaishnaw said. The Minister said that the 272 km USBRL project — spanning Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam, and Baramulla — cuts travel time between Srinagar and Katra by up to three hours when compared to a longer road journey. By linking local producers directly to the national market, the line has boosted trade in signature Kashmiri exports — including apples, dry fruits, Pashmina shawls, and local handicrafts — while strengthening supply chains for local Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. Vaishnaw said. To further support trade, Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs) are being rolled out. A GCT has been commissioned in Samba district, with in-principle approvals granted for additional terminals in Kathua, Anantnag, and Jammu, he said.
Four key stations in J&K – Budgam, Jammu Tawi, Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan, and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra – are undergoing major facility overhauls under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, he said. In Budgam station, work of improvement of circulating area, parking and approach road has been completed. Work of the 12-metre-wide foot overbridge, improvement of the station building, and new waiting and executive lounge with booking counters has begun. In Jammu Tawi station, work of a new station building at second entry, development of circulating area, parking, new platforms, platform shelter, electrical sub-station and entrance ramp is over. The work of dismantling of the old station building at the main entrance, foot overbridges and air concourse has started, he said.
The BriefWire