Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly created Jammu railway division on Monday through videoconferencing. This is an important step in improving train services in northern India.
The new division also prepares for the upcoming launch of train services to Kashmir from Katra, with the final trial run planned for tomorrow. The prime minister will lead the inauguration from New Delhi. In Jammu, the event will have Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma in attendance. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh is also expected to join the event in Kashmir.
The Jammu railway division will be based in Jammu and will take over some sections from the Firozpur division. This includes routes such as Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (423km), Bhogpur-Sirwal-Pathankot (87.21km), Batala-Pathankot (68.17km), and the narrow gauge Pathankot-Joginder Nagar line (163.72km). The total length being covered by the division is 742.1 kilometres. With this, Indian Railways will have 70 divisions under 17 zones.
Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi will lay the foundation stone for and inaugurate several Rail infra projects, fortifying connectivity from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari.#RailInfra4JammuandKashmir#RailInfra4Telangana#RailInfra4Odisha pic.twitter.com/lm9vMzUliR
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) January 6, 2025
The new division will use modern technology to manage train operations more efficiently. It will also handle major projects like the Anji Khad bridge and the Chenab rail bridge in Reasi. The Chenab bridge, at 359 metres, is the highest railway arch bridge in the world, taller than the Eiffel Tower.
The division will manage the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), which is almost complete. Only a small section between Katra and Reasi is left and is expected to be finished by December.
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On the same day, Prime Minister Modi will also open the Charlapalli new terminal station in Telangana and start construction for the Rayagada railway division building under the East Coast Railway.
The Charlapalli station, costing about Rs 413 crore, will help reduce crowding at Hyderabad’s current train stations. The Rayagada project will improve train connections in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and nearby areas, supporting economic growth in the region.
