Jammu: Northern Railway’s Jammu division, which is completing its first year next week, achieved several historic milestones in infrastructure development, connectivity and operational expansion, officials said on Sunday.India’s 70th railway division, officially established and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 6 last year, connected Kashmir valley to rest of the country and instilled a sense of change and hope among the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the railways said in a statement here.
In 2025, it said the Jammu division achieved several significant milestones and witnessed remarkable expansion in connectivity, including the inauguration of the much-awaited 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link (USBRL) to connect the valley with rest of the country.The dedication of the iconic Chenab and Anji bridges, considered as engineering marvels, the operation of Vande Bharat trains, promotion of religious tourism, increased freight movement of goods like apples and cement, and acceleration of economic development ushered a new era for the Union Territory, the railways said, terming the achievements as a “historic step” in connecting Kashmir and transforming the lives of the people of the region.
The USBRL was inaugurated by Modi on June 6, 2025, connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country throughout the year, while the Chenab bridge which is 35 meters higher than the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris and the country’s first Cable-Stayed Anji Rail Bridge were dedicated to the nation, showcasing the technical excellence of this project.The Vande Bharat trains to the Valley have facilitated over 3.75 lakh passengers since its launch on June 6, making travel easier and faster, the railways said.
It said the Katra-Amritsar route strengthened spiritual connectivity, facilitating the journey of devotees.The new rail link to Kashmir also boosted the economy with over 20,000 tons of apples and 1.5 lakh tons of cement transported, benefiting farmers and industries.The Anantnag goods shed is capable of handling 1.5 lakh tons of cement, improving logistics, while for the first time, automobile and food grain rakes arrived in the valley, and cherries (mulberries) were transported from Kashmir to Bandra – a major achievement in logistics, the release said.
Over Rs 94 crore were secured through new non-fare revenue contracts and Rs3.72 crore recovered from over 63,000 cases through ticket checking drives.On the completion of one year of the Jammu Division, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Uchit Singhal, said the year 2025 was challenging for the newly set up Jammu Division, but the railways made every possible effort to ensure the convenience, safety, and comfortable travel of passengers.“With these efforts, the Jammu Division is rapidly moving towards excellence, and this new chapter is bringing better connectivity and prosperity to the people of Kashmir,” he said, adding the Jammu Division will write its second chapter with new projects in 2026.
