New Delhi [India], February 6 (ANI): To extend the rail connectivity of the existing Srinagar-Baramulla section, a survey for the Sopore to Kupwara (34 km) New Line has been sanctioned and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared, the Ministry of Railways said in an official statement.

However, the project has been dropped because it was found to be infeasible. To further improve rail connectivity in the Border region, the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the following projects have also been prepared: Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam doubling (118 km) and Baramulla-Uri new line (40 km), as per the Ministry.

After preparation of DPR, sanctioning of the project requires consultation with various stake-holders including State Governments and necessary approvals, viz., appraisal of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance, etc. As sanctioning of projects is a continuous and dynamic process, exact timelines cannot be fixed.

The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, with a total length of 272 km, was recently commissioned. The USBRL project covers the districts of Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam, and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir.

The USBRL project has made substantial socio-economic contributions to the region, with employment generation being a significant aspect of its impact. The project has generated more than 5 Cr. man-days of employment.

Another crucial facet of the USBRL Project's socio-economic development efforts has been the construction of over 215 km of approach roads, which include the construction of a tunnel and 320 small bridges. This road network has helped the local population in improvement of their connectivity with other areas and also improvement in socio-economic status.

With all-weather, reliable and comfortable rail connectivity between the valley and the rest of the Indian Railway network, tourism will receive a significant boost.

This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Friday (ANI)