The survey report of Jammu-Poonch Railway Line is being examined by the ministry of railways, Government of India, union minister of state in the ministry of railways, Rajen Gohain told Lok Sabha in reply to an unstarred question of Member Parliament, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday.
Survey for 223-kilometer Jammu to Poonch railway stretch was completed in September, 2017. As per survey report, the cost of the project is Rs 22771.55 crore with ROR (-) 4.54%.
Replying another query of Dr Farooq Abdullah regarding government of India’s plans for railway connectivity with Kashmir Valley, the union MoS railways said, “With a view to provide an alternative and a reliable transportation system to Jammu and Kashmir, government of India planned a 326-Km long railway line joining the Kashmir Valley with the Indian railways network. Out of 326-Km, Baramulla to Banihal stretch of 136 km and Jammu to Katra stretch of 79 Km have been completed and commissioned. Katra-Banihal (111 km) work has been taken up.”
Pertinently, the Jammu-Poonch rail line project, proposed from Jammu Tawi station via the historic city of Akhnoor to Poonch via Kaleeth-Dori Dager-Chowki Choura-Bhambla-Nowshera-Rajouri, was conceived during the tenure of Congress led UPA-II government. The railway project has also been declared as a national project by then union railway minister Mukul Roy on 22 March 2012.
The incumbent union railways minister, Piyush Goyal had also said in December last year that the Jammu-Poonch railway project would be taken up soon.