J&K govt plans cargo terminals along Baramulla-Banihal rail line

The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to construct cargo terminals along the Baramulla-Banihal rail line. The terminals will be located at five stations including Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Awantipora, Pampore, and Budgam. The aim of this move is to provide easy transportation of goods across the country by stocking supplies at the cargo terminals.

The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, PK Pole, explained that within the next 1-2 years, the Banihal and Baramulla railway line will be connected to the rest of the country, and the administration has identified land for the construction of go-downs or warehouses to ensure safe transportation of goods. The dependence on highways for transportation in Kashmir is high, and the railway is working to bridge this gap for safer and easier transportation of goods.

The Chief Area Manager (CAM) Kashmir, Saqib Yousuf Yatoo (IRTS), said that the railways have identified the land for making cargo terminals under the Gati Shakti Cargo Rail Terminal (GCT) scheme along the Baramulla-Banihal railway line. The 137-km railway line comprises 17 stations and currently, there are more than 21 train services between the Baramulla-Banihal and Buddgam-Banihal sections. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway (USBRL) track is being laid to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country, and it falls under the jurisdiction of the Firozpur Railway division of the Indian Railways' Northern zone.