The Commissioner of Railway Safety conducted an inspection of the rail track from Reasi to Banihal town, which is the final connecting rail track for the Vande Bharat train service, set to become operational by January 2025. 

With the final inspection of the crucial Reasi-Banihal rail track scheduled for the first week of January 2025, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project is expected to be ready for operations. 

The two-day inspection, which began on Monday, will continue on Tuesday as part of the technical safety approval process overseen by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. 

Dinesh Chand Deswal, the Commissioner of Railway Safety, was accompanied by a team of rail safety experts who will examine and approve every detail of the project's infrastructure. 

The final trial run of the Katra-Banihal section was conducted in June this year, when the train traveled between Sangaldan and Reasi railway stations. 

Tuesday’s inspection will focus on the Kodi to Katra link, which includes the cable bridge over Anji Khad. 

One of the most ambitious and remarkable aspects of the USBRL is the railway bridge over the Chenab River, the world’s tallest railway bridge, which stands 359 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The construction of this bridge cost Rs 1486 crore, using 30,000 tonnes of steel. 

This dream project is expected to provide a significant boost to the economy of the Valley, particularly benefiting the horticulture sector. It will offer the most affordable transportation for apples and other produce to terminal markets across the country. 

Moreover, the project will fulfill the aspirations of industrialists, businessmen, students, and the general public. 

The Vande Bharat train is projected to complete the journey from Delhi to Srinagar in approximately 12 hours.