The proposed Sopore–Kupwara new railway line project in north Kashmir has been dropped after being found infeasible, even though a survey was conducted and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been prepared, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
In a written reply to a question, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the 34-km Sopore–Kupwara new line was initially sanctioned to extend rail connectivity of the existing Srinagar–Baramulla section, but was later abandoned due to feasibility issues.
The minister said that to further enhance rail connectivity, particularly in border regions, DPRs have been prepared for two other projects — doubling of the Qazigund–Srinagar–Budgam section (118 km) and a new rail line from Baramulla to Uri (40 km).
He clarified that after preparation of DPRs, sanctioning of railway projects requires consultations with multiple stakeholders, including state governments, and statutory approvals such as appraisal by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance. Since project approvals are part of a continuous and dynamic process, fixed timelines cannot be specified, he added.
Highlighting the recently commissioned Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), Vaishnaw said the 272-km-long project now connects districts including Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla.
The minister noted that the USBRL project has made significant socio-economic contributions to Jammu and Kashmir, generating over five crore man-days of employment. He added that more than 215 km of approach roads have been constructed under the project, including tunnels and around 320 small bridges, greatly improving connectivity for local populations.
“With the all-weather, reliable and comfortable rail connectivity of the Kashmir valley with the rest of the Indian Railways network, tourism will receive a major boost,” the minister said.
