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Srinagar : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday that the newly opened rail tunnel linking the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region will better the lives of people in Jammu and Kashmir.Addressing a rally in Urdu in Banihal town of Jammu region after inaugurating the rail link earlier, Manmohan Singh said: “Today we are dedicating a marvellous and wonderful feat of engineering crafted across the Himalayas by our engineers."He added: “Despite difficult geographical conditions and adverse weather, this longest tunnel in the country has been completed within seven years."This is not just an engineering marvel, but an all weather link between the valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir."This will usher in a new era in the development of the state, providing welfare and employment to the people here."The prime minister said the products of the Kashmir Valley, including handicrafts and fruits, would reach the rest of India through this railway link as will products from the rest of the country to the valley.The railway bridge between Udhampur and Banihal would be the highest railway bridge in the World.He said the rail tunnel was a part of his UPA government's commitment to develop Jammu and Kashmir.He said the state had got in recent times 14 new colleges, nine ITIs and five India Reserve Police battalions, providing employment to locals.

“I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the (central) government will extend all possible support for the development of the people here."

As he spoke in Urdu, Manmohan Singh struck a chord with the people at the rally. He was cheered each time he spoke about ushering development in the troubled state.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the rally that the “hardships faced by the people of the state during the winter months are now a thing of the past.

"Today’s inauguration of the all weather link between Jammu and the valley is a part of the UPA’s commitment to the peace and progress of the people here."

Gandhi said the National Conference-Congress government in the state had done commendable work in the last five years.

“The people in Kashmir are fed up with violence. They want peace and development.

"The large turnout of people during the Panchayat elections in the state is a proof of the people’s desire for peace and development.

“I know very well that painful incidents happen here occasionally, but our democracy has enough scope to sort out issues through dialogue and negotiations."

Manmohan Singh and Gandhi will fly to Udhampur army base on their way to New Delhi.

NAGPUR: Even as heavy rains on Tuesday night brought miseries for passengers at Nagpur station, railway officials braved the downpour to ensure that passing trains do not go off-track.As rains lashed the city, water from adjoining flyovers and the roadsides entered the circulating area on the west side of the station. It subsequently entered the station, water logging tracks on platform numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, where most of the passing trains are admitted. The waiting area near the current ticket booking counters, the office of the station manager and his deputy were also flooded.As the situation went haywire, panic buttons were pressed and senior officials including divisional railway manager (DRM) Brijesh Dixit and additional DRM Uday Borwankar along with departmental heads rushed to the station.

"The last train to somehow leave the station was at 9pm. As the heavy downpour continued, the drains overflowed, causing a bigger problem. Submergence of tracks led to the automatic signals controlling train movement going out of order," said a railway official.

The water logging on tracks affected at least half a dozen express trains between 10pm and 1.30am. Some trains, including Nagpur-Secunderabad, Nizamuddin-Yashwantpur, Howrah-CSTM, Nizamuddin-Trivendrum, Hyderabad-Jaipur and Nagpur-Bilaspur Shivnath, were delayed by 30 to 60 minutes. Some trains were stopped at Ajni, Godhni and Kalamna railway stations.

"It was a peculiar situation as tracks were completely submerged. This disabled the signalling circuits, which are automatically controlled from the route relay interlocking (RRI) cabin. We had to run the trains manually by clamping points. Track patrolling was also intensified," Borwankar told TOI.

There were at least 50 supervisors from health, engineering, signalling, electrical and operating departments at work through the night. The operating department employees had to search for the points on the waterlogged tracks braving rains to ensure smooth movement of traffic. Normalcy was finally restored around 5.30am on Wednesday.

Asia’s second largest tunnel across the Pir Panjal mountain will connect the landlocked Kashmir Valley with Banihal town of the Jammu region. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Built at a cost of Rs.1,300 crore, the tunnel will reduce the distance between Qazigund town in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and Banihal town by 17 km. It will be an all-weather surface link.

Asia’s second largest tunnel across the Pir Panjal mountain will connect the landlocked Kashmir Valley with Banihal town of the Jammu region. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Built at a cost of Rs.1,300 crore, the tunnel will reduce the distance between Qazigund town in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and Banihal town by 17 km. It will be an all-weather surface link.

The first train connecting the Kashmir valley with the southern Jammu region has begun its journey in Indian-administered Kashmir.The newly-built 18km (11-mile) stretch connects Banihal in Jammu with Qazigund in the valley.However, Banihal is yet to be connected to India's huge railway network.Officials say that is likely to happen in 2017 when the Banihal station will be linked with Udhampur, 121km (75 miles) away.The ambitious train project aims to link the region with India's vast railway network, easing travel between Srinagar and the rest of the country.It also aims to provide an all-weather surface link between Srinagar and Jammu region where the present road link frequently gets cut in bad weather.The new stretch is added to the 118km (73-mile) train line that already runs through the valley, connecting Baramullah in the north with Qazigund in the south.

Multi-million dollar tunnel

The train link will eventually connect all of Jammu and Kashmir with India's vast rail network The train was flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday.

For the launch, the station at Banihal was decorated with flowers and garlands, and an eight-coach train, carrying schoolchildren and officials, travelled to Qazigund in 25 minutes.

The train passes through an 11km multi-million dollar tunnel which cuts through the Pir Panjal mountain range.

On Tuesday, PM Singh and Mrs Gandhi laid the foundation of a power project in Kishtwar.

Separatists observed a two-day strike to coincide with their visit, saying the Kashmir dispute could not be resolved by economic grants and infrastructure projects.

On the eve of the prime minister's two-day visit to the disputed territory, militants killed eight soldiers in the deadliest such attack there in five years.

Kashmir, claimed by both India and Pakistan, has seen an armed insurgency against Indian rule since 1989.

In recent years violence has abated from its peak in the 1990s, but the causes of the insurgency are still far from resolved.

After a lull in violence for a few years, militant activity has risen in recent weeks, with busy marketplaces often targeted.

Two policemen were shot and killed by militants in Srinagar over the weekend.

The Indian Railways will launch a pilot project of ticketing through non-Internet-based mobile phones from July 1, 2013.In a release, the railway authorities said the objective was to facilitate anywhere, anytime and hassle-free booking of tickets.To be launched by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the initiative will enable people using non-Internet based mobile phones to easily access railway ticketing services through SMS/IVRS/USSD and the scheme is user-friendly, secure and also eco-friendly, as no printout is required.There will be a number (to be announced in due course) to which the SMS can be sent and there will be no need of Internet for booking tickets, making payment or cancelling tickets.“One has to register the mobile number with IRCTC as well as one’s bank. The bank will provide MMID (mobile money identifier) and OTP (one-time password) for authorisation of the payment. The passenger has to type the train number, destination, journey date, class and passenger details like name, age and gender on the SMS box. The sender will receive a transaction ID and then the customer can make the payment by way of sending another SMS by typing PAY followed by the transaction ID, MMID as received from the bank and the password.”“On successful booking of the ticket, a message will be sent to the user by the IRCTC which will suffice as the valid authority to travel along with the photo ID in original.

The PM said the products of the Kashmir Valley would reach the rest of India through this railway link as will products from the rest of the country to the valley.


Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday that the new rail tunnel linking the troubled Kashmir Valley and Jammu region will help develop Jammu and Kashmir.Addressing hundreds in Urdu in Banihal, Jammu region, after inaugurating the rail link, Manmohan Singh said, “Today, we are dedicating a marvellous and wonderful feat of engineering crafted across the Himalayas."He added, “Despite difficult geographical conditions and adverse weather, this longest tunnel in the country has been completed within seven years."This is not just an engineering marvel, but an all weather link between the valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir.

"This will usher in a new era in the development of the state, providing welfare and employment to the people here."

The prime minister said the products of the Kashmir Valley, including handicrafts and fruits, would reach the rest of India through this railway link as will products from the rest of the country to the valley.

The rail bridge between Udhampur and Banihal would be the highest railway bridge in the world.

He said the rail tunnel was a part of his UPA government's commitment to develop Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the state had got in recent times 14 new colleges, nine ITIs and five India Reserve Police battalions, providing employment to locals.

“I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that (my) government will extend all possible support for the development of the people here."

As he spoke in Urdu, Manmohan Singh struck a chord with the people at the rally. He was cheered each time he spoke about ushering development in the state.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the rally that the “hardships faced by the people of the state during the winter months are now a thing of the past.

"Today’s inauguration of the all weather link between Jammu and the valley is a part of the UPA’s commitment to the peace and progress of the people here."

Gandhi said the National Conference-Congress government in the state had done commendable work in the last five years.

"The people in Kashmir are fed up with violence. They want peace and development.

"The large turnout of people during the Panchayat elections in the state is a proof of the people’s desire for peace and development.

“I know very well that painful incidents happen here occasionally, but our democracy has enough scope to sort out issues through dialogue and negotiations."

Manmohan Singh and Gandhi will fly to Udhampur army base on their way to New Delhi.

Srinagar : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday that the newly opened rail tunnel linking the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region will better the lives of people in Jammu and Kashmir.Addressing a rally in Urdu in Banihal town of Jammu region after inaugurating the rail link earlier, Manmohan Singh said: “Today we are dedicating a marvellous and wonderful feat of engineering crafted across the Himalayas by our engineers."He added: “Despite difficult geographical conditions and adverse weather, this longest tunnel in the country has been completed within seven years."This is not just an engineering marvel, but an all weather link between the valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir."This will usher in a new era in the development of the state, providing welfare and employment to the people here."The prime minister said the products of the Kashmir Valley, including handicrafts and fruits, would reach the rest of India through this railway link as will products from the rest of the country to the valley.The railway bridge between Udhampur and Banihal would be the highest railway bridge in the World.He said the rail tunnel was a part of his UPA government's commitment to develop Jammu and Kashmir.He said the state had got in recent times 14 new colleges, nine ITIs and five India Reserve Police battalions, providing employment to locals.

“I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the (central) government will extend all possible support for the development of the people here."

As he spoke in Urdu, Manmohan Singh struck a chord with the people at the rally. He was cheered each time he spoke about ushering development in the troubled state.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the rally that the “hardships faced by the people of the state during the winter months are now a thing of the past.

"Today’s inauguration of the all weather link between Jammu and the valley is a part of the UPA’s commitment to the peace and progress of the people here."

Gandhi said the National Conference-Congress government in the state had done commendable work in the last five years.

“The people in Kashmir are fed up with violence. They want peace and development.

"The large turnout of people during the Panchayat elections in the state is a proof of the people’s desire for peace and development.

“I know very well that painful incidents happen here occasionally, but our democracy has enough scope to sort out issues through dialogue and negotiations."

Manmohan Singh and Gandhi will fly to Udhampur army base on their way to New Delhi.

Nurpur:
The flash flood in the Chakki rivulet following rain washed away protection steps of six pillars of the Chakki railway bridge on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway line, near here, this morning. These cemented steps had been built by the Railway Department by spending lakhs of rupees a few months ago to render protection cover to all 22 supporting pillars of the Chakki bridge.Pillar number 4 of this bridge was washed way in August 2011 and pillars numbers 5, 6 and 10 were partially damaged in flash floods in the Chakki rivulet. The railway traffic on this line remained suspended for about a year. Mining in the Chakki riverbed was considered to be a major cause of pillar damage in the past. Fourteen trains (up and down) have been providing economical traffic facility to thousands of commuters daily on this railway route connecting Pathankot (Punjab) with the Kangra valley.Manjeet Goyal, Assistant Engineer, Railway, admitted that due to a cloud burst in Chamba district and a flash flood in the Chakki rivulet, protection steps of pillars (5 to 7) of the Chakki bridge had been washed away today and these would be constructed or repaired soon.

Jammu: Indian Railways added another feather in its cap with the historic milestone of connecting Kashmir valley with the Jammu region. The  Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh dedicated the newly constructed railway line between Banihal (Jammu region)-Qazigund (Kashmir valley) section to the nation  by flagging off  the first DEMU train from Banihal through the Pir Panjal tunnel- the longest transportation tunnel of India, from Banihal Railway station in Jammu & Kashmir today.  Chairperson, UPA, Smt. Sonia Gandhi,  Governor of J&K, Shri N.N. Vohra,  Minister for Railways, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nagi Azad Chief Minister of  J&K, Shri Omar Abdullah,  and Dy. Speaker, Vidhansabha, J&K, Shri Sartaj Madani were also present on the occasion. Ircon International Ltd., a PSU under the Ministry of Railways, has been the principal executing agency for Northern Railway to execute the work of Dharam-Qazigund Section of USBRL Project which includes Banihal-Qazigund section and Pir Panjal Tunnel.The Kashmir Valley railway ( Qazigund-Baramulla section) is a 119 km long modern railway line that became completely operational in October 2009. So far it is an island railway, not yet connected to the Indian Railway network. It connects Baramula in the western part of Kashmir to Qazigund at the other end of the Valley, via Srinagar. With today’s dedication of this challenging project to the nation, the extension of this railway line beyond the Pir Panjal Mountains in to the Jammu region has been achieved with trains running on the new railway section of Qazigund-Banihal. The 17.7 km long rail link paves way for the future railway connectivity of Kashmir region with the national railway network.  

On 28th December, 2012, the first trial run train was operated on this section of Qazigund-Banihal which is 17.7 kms long, of this 6.5 km is on cutting and embankment including bridges. This section mostly consists of a 11.2 km long, Tunnel T-80 which pierces through the Pir Panjal range, providing a direct rail connection between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region.  About 11,78,500 cubic meters of earthwork in cutting and filling has been done. The maximum depth of cutting on this section is 15.20 meters and maximum height of embankment is 16.70 meters. 39 bridges have also been constructed in this section which include two major bridges, 30 minor bridges and 7  Road Over Bridges/Road Under Bridges. The total expenditure of Rs. 1691.00 cr. has been incurred by the railways to complete this section.   Tunnel T-80 has been provided the State of the Art systems with CCTV cameras at every 62. 5 m, linear fire detection system, fire fighting system with fire hydrants at every 125 m, emergency telephone with communication to control room at every 250 m, fire extinguishers and fire alarm at every 250 m, air quality monitoring system at every 500 m, escape route signs to guide the shortest escape route in emergency at every 50 m, emergency lighting and normal lighting and public address system. A 3.0 m wide road along the track for rescue and maintenance purpose has been constructed with a 772.0 m long escape tunnel to provide additional escape route.  Tunnel ventilation system has been  provided which consists of 25 fans along the tunnel, installed in the ceiling of tunnel in groups of 5 each.   Falling in difficult and mountainous terrain, the State of Jammu & Kashmir has always been a challenge to transportation providers. Other factors which increase the difficulty in providing modes of mass transportation is that the area is geologically unstable, prone to tremors and earthquakes, with deep gorges alternating steep between rocky mountains. For any construction activity, the weather is quite inclement too. Long months of incessant rains and heavy snow can put life on hold for many. But there is a positive fall out of this difficulty too. The residents of these areas have evolved fine traditions in handicrafts in the periods of being home bound and have made established themselves as the finest craftsmen in the world.

Northern Railway has worked in these circumstances and has created the most modern railway line in the Kashmir Valley which provides economical, all weather connectivity. This is something the residents appreciate, especially when other facilities grind to a halt in deep snow. While building this railway line, Northern Railway did not only have to cope with the difficult terrain, geology and the weather. Since it was found to be imperative to complete this railway line at the earliest, construction was started simultaneously at different sites and as the stretch in the Kashmir valley rail link was completed before the rail link which would connect it to the remaining Indian Railway network, all rolling stock and other equipments required for construction and running of trains was transported by road and reassembled once it had reached there. But the result is gratifying.

On commissioning of this section, the first rail link will be established between the Jammu Region and Kashmir Valley providing all weather connectivity with significantly reduced travel time through the Pir Panjal mountains. This will be an alternative connection between the two regions for the Jawahar Tunnel too, which is often snow bound during the winter months. With this section the distance between Banihal-Qazigund section has been reduced to 17.7 kms by railway line instead of 35 kms long road length.

With the completion of this section the Kashmir Valley has come a step closer to being connected to the remaining Indian Railway network, signifying the dedication and resolution of Northern Railway in providing rail connectivity to the farthest corners in its jurisdiction.

The Prime Minister also travelled in the train from Banihal to Qazigund along with a group of school children. (Full text of PM’s speech is available on the PIB website i.e. pib.nic.in)

Also on the occasion, the UPA Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi released a book titled “Pir-Panjal Railway Tunnel – a dream Realized” compiled by project team to commemorate the completion of this engineering marvel which gives an insider perspective to the challenging task of construction of Pir-Panjal Railway Tunnel through mighty Himalayas.

Local representatives of people also attended the function. Chairman, Railway Board, Shri Vinay Mittal, Member Engineering Railway Board,  Shri Subodh Jain. General Manager Northern Railway Shri V.K.Gupta, CMD IRCON, Shri Mohan Tiwari were among those present on the occasion.