Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration and laying of foundation stone of various railway projects via video conferencing, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (PTI Photo)
Srinagar: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Monday, after virtually inaugurating the newly carved out Jammu Railway Division (JRD), said that this “historic milestone” will create steps to take Jammu and Kashmir’s journey of developmental infrastructure and connectivity to higher levels.
“The integration of J&K into the national railway network is a monumental step towards transforming Indian Railways into a global leader in efficiency, speed, and passenger experience,” he said, adding, “The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project is a landmark achievement that demonstrates India's engineering excellence.”
The 742.1-kilometre long JRD comprises of the Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (423 km), Bhogpur-Sirwal-Pathankot (87.21 km), Batala-Pathankot (68.17 km) and Pathankot-Joginder Nagar routes (163.72 km). It is expected to create new employment opportunities in J&K and neighbouring Punjab and apart from boosting up infrastructure development promote tourism and the overall socio-economic development of the region, officials said in Jammu.
Endorsing it, the Prime Minister said that the JRD would not only benefit the people of J&K but also extend its advantages to Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Ladakh. He termed its inauguration as a symbol of India’s collective progress under the vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ filling colours in the dream of ‘Developed India’. He said the completion of the Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, will play a key role in connecting J&K with the rest of the country India through rail besides providing convenience to the people of Leh-Ladakh.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Rayagada Railway Division Building of East Coast Railway and inaugurated the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in Telangana which too will promote tourism and add to socio-economic development in these states.
According to an official statement, the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in the Medchal-Malkajgiri district of Telangana has been developed as a new coaching terminal along with provision of a second entry with a cost of around ₹ 413 crore. “This environment friendly terminal, having good passenger amenities, will ease congestion on the existing coaching terminals in the city like Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Kacheguda,” the statement said.
It added that the Rayagada Railway Division Building of East Coast Railway, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Prime Minister through video conferencing will improve connectivity in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and nearby areas and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region.
The Prime Minister said, “We are taking forward the development of railways in India on four parameters. First- modernization of railway infrastructure, Second- Modern facilities for railway passengers, Third- Railway connectivity in every corner of the country, Fourth- Railways for creating jobs and supporting industries”.
The Prime Minister said, “Today is a big day for new-age connectivity. It shows that the entire nation is moving forward together.” He asserted that in order to translate the dream of ‘Vikshit Bharat’, it is crucial to develop Indian Railways. He said the past decade has witnessed a transformational change in railway infrastructure modernization, enhanced connectivity, and improved facilities for passengers.
The Prime Minister said, “India's first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, and the iconic arch bridge over the Chenab River—the world’s highest railway bridge—are marvels that are making waves globally.” He said that the government has laid more than 30,000 kilometers of new railway tracks in the last ten years, nearing 100 percent electrification, compared to just 35 percent existing in 2014 (when he took over as the Prime Minister) and that all manual crossings on broad-gauge tracks have been removed during this period.
Mr. Modi while lauding India’s fast-paced progress in connectivity said that since the start of 2025, India has been accelerating its initiatives with its metro rail network expanding to over 1,000 kilometers. While referring to the recent inauguration of Namo Bharat train in Delhi-NCR along with the launch of Delhi Metro projects on Sunday, the Prime Minister asserted, “Today’s event is a further testimony to the fact that the entire nation is moving forward together, step by step, as projects launched in J&K, Odisha and Telangana mark a major leap in modern connectivity for these the north, east and south regions of the country”.
He said the work on modern rail networks like the Dedicated Freight Corridor is progressing rapidly in the country and that these special corridors will reduce pressure on the regular tracks apart from creating more opportunities for high-speed trains. He reiterated that the railways are undergoing a transformation with the promotion of Made in India.
He said modern coaches are being developed for metros and railways, stations redeveloped, solar panels installed at stations and ‘One Station, One Product’ stalls set up at railway stations. “All these initiatives are generating millions of new employment opportunities in the railway sector. Over the last decade, millions of young people have secured permanent government jobs in the railways,” he said, adding, “The demand for raw materials in factories producing new train coaches leads to more job opportunities in other sectors as well”.
The Prime Minister said that the Charlapalli New Terminal Station in Telangana has the potential of accelerating regional development by connecting to the Outer Ring Road. “This station, connected to the Outer Ring Road, will significantly boost development in the region,” he said and highlighted the station’s modern amenities including its platforms, lifts, escalators, solar-powered operations.
The Prime Minister said, “This is a step forward in creating sustainable infrastructure as this new terminal will ease the pressure on existing stations in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Kachiguda, making travel more convenient for the people.”
He said Odisha is blessed with abundant natural resources and a large coastline, and holds significant potential for international trade. He said that several railway projects worth over ₹70,000 crore are ongoing in the state, along with the establishment of seven Gati Shakti cargo terminals, which are boosting trade and industry. He said the Rayagada Railway Division will strengthen the state’s railway infrastructure promoting tourism, business, and employment in Odisha, especially South Odisha, where the number of tribal families is higher.
Mr. Modi said that such projects not only enhance the ease of living but also promote the ease of doing business, aligning with India’s broader infrastructure goals. He said India is currently undergoing a massive infrastructure expansion, including expressways, waterways and metro networks. “The number of airports has grown from 74 in 2014 to over 150 today. The metro services have expanded from 5 cities to 21 cities across the country. These projects are part of a larger roadmap towards a developed India, which is now a mission for every citizen of this country,” he said. He added, “I am sure that together we will accelerate this growth even further.”
Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, G. Kishan Reddy, Jitendra Singh, V. Somanna, Ravneet Singh Bittu and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Governor of Odisha Jishnu Dev Varma, his counterpart of Telangana Hari Babu Kambhampati, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Omar Abdullah, A Revanth Reddy and Mohan Charan Majhi, the chief minister of J&J, Telangana and Odisha, respectively were present among other dignitaries at the event.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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