A long wait is over for Kashmiris
Kashmiri people have been waiting for decades for the Srinagar-New Delhi rail link. And since the announcement of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav saying a historic milestone has been achieved by completing the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, there has been cheer among every community in the Valley: from businessmen to students, and from tourists to non-local workers.
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Rail line on the most difficult Himalayan terrain
The 800-kilometre railway track from Srinagar to New Delhi would be covered within 13 hours of travel time plus a stopover at Katra where the passengers will have to deboard the train.
The railway track which runs on the most difficult terrain of Himalayas will have more bridges and tunnels than any other line in the whole of India. The track will have around 931 bridges with 38 tunnels. It also includes the longest train tunnel - Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel measuring 11.21kms - and the world's highest bridge over the Chenab river, with a height of 359 metres, making it higher than the Eiffel Tower of Paris.
The tourists coming to Kashmir Valley have welcomed the step, saying that a train service to Srinagar would mean less cost and affordable travel for the middle class.
Security remains a concern
Security remains one of the major concerns for the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir for the rail service.
And most of the security arrangements have already been put in place on the track with two wings of security, with the Railway Police Security or RPF and General Railway Police or GRP fully dedicated to the security of railway stations and tracks.
There will be CCTV connectivity at every station, every tunnel and bridge.
These will be controlled round the clock by railway and security officials in several sub-control rooms.