Jammu-Poonch Rail Link project first approved during the UPA-1 for which Lalu Prasad Yadav also got survey conducted
DAYA SAGAR
The proposed railway line connecting Jammu with Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajouri has been estimated to cost of Rs 22,771 crore, according to information provided by the Minister for Railways in response to Rajay Sabaha unstarred question No.3314 on 28 Mar 2025. However, the project faces uncertainty due to low traffic projections, raising concerns over its viability. The minister confirmed that a survey for the 223-km railway line was conducted, but its implementation is subject to multiple factors, including economic viability, last-mile connectivity, and overall funding availability. The government did not specify a timeline for the project’s approval or completion.
No doubt the projects in general are undertaken based on their economic viability / remunerative status but it cannot be overlooked that the socio-economic needs too are of utmost importance in a democratic / socialist economy and that too considering linking the hilly & border areas like Rajouri & Poonch which have enough of commercial / pilgrim/ adventure tourism potential that has remained totally neglected by the governments even after 1947. The Jammu-Poonch rail link has been under discussion with the politicians ‘sloganing’ its potential benefits for local economy , particularly FOR the tourism sector too. Had even half the concern shown by the politicians been taken to grounds after 1947 there would have been enough development in the tourism infrastructure & local economy including even horticulture, cereals like local sweet rice variety and cultivation of pulse like Rajmaash ( kidneybean). It is worth noting that the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project beyond Jammu has been completed passing through districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam, and Baramulla has been completed ( On 13 April 2005 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav along with UPA Chairperson Smt Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the 53 km Jammu — Udhampur line . Train from Katra to Valley will be flagged off in April 2025 of which Prime Minister PV Narsimharao Cabinet with CK Jaffer Shreifas Rail Minister had decided in 1994 to extend rail line from Udhampur to Baramulla via Srinagar ).
The rail project from Jammu to Baramulla had faced my hurdles and challenges . Kashmir Valley already had developed tourist infrastructure and many new additions have been made before the train from Jammu to Valley would be flagged off in 2025. So enough time( atleast 10 to 15) years is there for government to develop/ promote other needed infrastructure for exploitation of already existing natural commercial tourism potential in the Twin Districts of Rajouri and Poonch before the rail line ( 223 km as estimated ) will be finally laid which would even remove the financial commercial limitations w.r.t to anticipated passenger load which otherwise also should not come in the way of the feasibility norms.
It is not out of place to mention here that in was as far back as 2012 ( 22-03-2012 ) that the then the then Railway Minister Mukul Roy while replying to the Railway Budget in Lok Sabha had said the Jammu- Poonch rail link that will pass through treacherous hilly areas was first approved during the UPA-1 when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Minister and a survey was also got conducted by him which was a long pending project of a railway line via historic township of Akhnoor which will finally see light of the day with Centre deciding to include it in the list of national projects which are under this category are taken up on priority with special financial provisions.
The then Jammu-Poonch MP, Madan Lal Sharma had that in the earlier year’s Budget it had been decided to include the project in the 12th five year plan as it was an important rail link that would l connect strategic areas all along the Line of Control. Shri Madan Lal Sharma had about 13 years earlier in 2012 welcoming the announcement had informed the Lok Sabha that Jammu- Poonch rail line will also help in the economic development of large number of backward and hill areas in the region and open up new vistas of tourism in the historic Poonch and Rajouri districts. Mr Sharma had in 2012 speaking on the Railway Budget also demanded in 2012 itself that Jammu should be made the Divisional Headquarter of the Railways instead of Ferozepur suggesting that he felt that necessary as with the growing railway network in J&K it will not be feasible to control the area from Ferozepur.
It may shock many to learn that the present Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw has in a written reply to unstarred Rajay Sabha question 3314 by 7BJP MP Ghulam Ali has informed on 28 March 2025 the Survey for new line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhoo and Raj0uri (223km) was carried out of which the cost was assessed as Rs 22,771 crore with low traffic projections adding that these projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes including connectivity to hilly and border areas, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations and the likes which further depend upon liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands which may sound that government may be thinking of putting the project on hold. Government of India need to assure people of these backward and neglected areas of J&K over last more than 7 decades that the said project will not be put on hold and would instead will be taken ahead with special pace keeping in view that it was as far back as 2012 ( 22-03-2012 ) that the then Railway Minister Shri Mukul Roy while replying to the Railway Budget in Lok Sabha had said that the Jammu- Poonch rail link that will pass through treacherous hilly areas was first approved during the UPA-1 when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Minister and a survey was also got conducted by him which was a long pending project of a railway line via historic township of Akhnoor will finally see light of the day with Centre deciding to include it in the list of national projects which are under this category are taken up on priority with special financial provisions.
(The writer is a Sr Journalist & a known analyst of J&K affairs)