Srinagar: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday will inaugurate the 25-km long Udhampur-Katra rail link in Jammu. Railways will open the 25-km-long link after the Prime Minister flags off the first train from the Katra station.
The train service to Katra, is the base camp for pilgrims going to Vaishnodevi shrine. The train connectivity to Katra is part of the ambitious Kashmir rail link project and has been executed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,050 crore.
The 25-km stretch to Katra is an engineering marvel as the route has seven tunnels, 29 minor and nine major bridges with some of the bridges as high as 85 metres. "It was a challenging task to construct tunnels, bridges and lay track in that difficult terrain. We have to ensure safety of passengers," the chairman said.
To begin with, two trains -- Delhi-Katra Express and Kalka-Katra Express - will run on the section. More trains are expected to be added in the coming months .
(With additional information from PTI)
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