Kashmir Valley gets more enticing with the launch of the first electric train service
, which will be a soon for tourists and locals alike.The diesel engine run train in Kashmir, which made its debut not too long ago, was recently switched out for the region’s first electric train. It is all set to run on the Banihal-Baramulla line.
Officials in the know have stated that the environment-friendly electric train will start its operation on the 137-kilometer-long Banihal-Baramulla corridor soon and that the trial run of the train from Banihal in Jammu division to Baramulla district in north Kashmir was conducted by the railway authorities just one month ago. The Banihal station is in the Jammu division, and Baramulla is a district in north Kashmir. The Banihal-Baramulla corridor may be found in the state of Kashmir, which is located in India.
Reports indicate that the project’s total cost to build the electric train link will be Indian Rupees 324 crores.
Abid Amin Shah, Additional General Manager of IRCON, offered some additional facts. He claimed that the electric train is separated into two portions and that the trials for the Budgam-Baramulla rail link were conducted earlier in the year. He also mentioned that the testing for the Budgam-Baramulla rail link was successful. On the other hand, the trials for the Budgam-Banihal segment were held on three consecutive days in September from 24th to 26th.
In addition to that, he emphasized the fact that the principal chief electrical engineer for Northern Railways was the one who carried out the safety and security inspection. His statement did indeed incorporate this piece of information. According to him, the evaluation was carried out over three days before it was determined that it could be put into action. After that, he stated that these trains would be cost-effective, and it is expected to lower operational costs by more than sixty percent.
The recently completed electrification of the Qazigund-Banihal railway tunnel makes it the longest tunnel in the country to have been given this treatment by its railways. This tunnel is located in the Qazigund region of the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas. It has a total length of 11.215 kilometers and may be accessed there.
There are now 19 trains running, seven of which frequently operate along the track from Baramulla to Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). In 2013, Kashmir became the first Indian state to obtain its rail service, officially opened by then prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh.
Additionally, it has been stated that the railroad tracks for the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway (USBRL) are now being laid to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country. This is being done to facilitate trade.
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