Survey of Jammu-Poonch rail link via Akhnoor, Rajouri shows low traffic projections: Railway Minister

NEW DELHI: A survey for a new 223-km rail line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajauri was carried out and the project cost was assessed as Rs 22,771 crore but it has low traffic projections, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

BJP MP Ghulam Ali asked if it has been proposed to the government to establish Jammu–Rajouri-Poonch railway connectivity.

“The work on the new railway line connecting Jammu with Srinagar i.e. Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project (272 km) has been completed. This project covers the districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir,” Vaishnaw said.

He added, “Survey for new line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajauri (223km) was carried out. The cost of the project was assessed as Rs 22,771 crore. The project has low traffic projections.”

According to the minister, sanctioning of railway projects is a continuous and dynamic process. 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. And these depend upon liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands, Vaishnaw said. (PTI)