The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link (USBRL) project (272 km) was sanctioned in 1994-95.  Anticipated cost of the project is Rs 37,012 crore, against which, expenditure of Rs 26,786 crore has been incurred up to March, 2022 on the project.  Out of the total 272 km length of USBRL project, length of 161 Km has already been commissioned.  Work on balance stretch of Katra-Banihal section of 111 Km has been taken up. 

The completion of any Railway project(s) depends on various factors like quick land acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by officials of forest department, deposition of cost  by State Government in Cost sharing projects, shifting of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area of project(s) site, number of working months in a year for particular project site due to climatic considerations etc.  All these factors affect the completion time of the project(s). 

At present, 19 (nineteen) Passenger Special train services are running in Baramula-Badgam-Banihal section of USBRL Project. Moreover, introduction of new train services or extension of existing train services is an ongoing process over Indian Railways subject to traffic demand, operational feasibility and availability of rolling stock.

New Line Projects are considered on the basis of demands raised by State Governments, Central Ministries, Member of Parliament, other public representatives and Railways’ own requirements.  As receipt of such proposals is a continuous and ongoing process, centralized compendium of such requests is not maintained.  The proposals are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations, missing links and alternate routes including connectivity to tourist destinations etc., depending upon liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands which is a continuous and ongoing process.

This information was given by the Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronic & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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YB/DNS