The Hindu : 'Katra rail project will be completed by 2005'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 16, 2002

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

'Katra rail project will be completed by 2005'

By Luv Puri

JAMMU DEC. 15. The railway line for Katra, which is the base camp for pilgrims going to the Vaishno Devi shrine, will be completed by 2005, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, has said.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the progress of the project a few days ago, Mr. Sayeed also called for simultaneous execution of work on both sides of the Katra-Qazigund section of the Udhampur-Baramulla rail project in the State.

The "railway projects will generate tremendous economic activity besides removing psychological barriers between the people of the State and the rest of the country,'' he said.

Disclosing the details of his meeting with the Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar, and the Planning Commission, he said: "The Centre has provided Rs. 400 crores for execution of the project during the current year which is double the last year's allocation".

At the meeting, the railway officials pleaded for quick acquisition of land in the Kashmir Valley as power line crossings at about 30 locations in the Valley came in the way of execution of the project.

On the delay in completion of the Jammu-Udhampur railway line launched during the time of then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, in 1983, Mr. Sayeed said: "The railway authorities have informed that the survey work on the Katra-Qazigund section has been divided into two zones.

While IRCON, the sister concern of the Indian Railways, has to conduct aerial survey from Reasi to Salal, the Konkan Railways has been entrusted survey work from Salal to Qazigund.

The aerial survey on 20 km from Katra side and 12 km from Qazigund side of the project has already commenced".

The Jammu-Udhampur railway line would be commissioned in March 2004 and the Udhampur-Katra railway line in March 2005.

The 134-km Katra-Qazigund section involved 90 km of tunnelling at different points and bridging across 30 km.

Mr. Sayeed asked the railway authorities to also take up work of link roads for the proposed stations simultaneously as that would generate employment. He said small contracts could be awarded to local contractors.

He ordered the setting up of a co-ordination committee of officers of various departments and the Railways to sort out problems arising during the course of execution of the project.

The coordination teams would be headed by the divisional commissioners concerned.

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'Katra rail project will be completed by 2005'