Nice documentary on Kashmir Rail Link

[jis]

A very nice documentary on the construction of the Kashmir Rail Link. (View the three sections in the order shown below).

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Notice Phase 0 and Phase 1 have already been electrified too (shown as in the process of being electrified in the documentary).

Anyway, lots of tunnels and spectacular bridges and scenery all the way. For now Katra will be the transition point from Electric to Diesel traction apparently. Hopefully this will be completed in the 2018/19 timeframe and I expect to ride the Delhi - Srinagar Rajdhani Express soon thereafter.

There are already plans afoot to extend the line beyond Baramula to Uri on the Line of Control (LOC) between India and POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir). There is second line starting early phases of construction from Jammu to Poonch through Rajauri along the LOC. And a third line under consideration from Srinagar through Zoji La Pass all the way to Leh. The last will probably not be completed in my lifetime, but whatever....

Here is a simplified map of J&K to orient yourself by. The names that appear are of the districts of J&K.

 

[caravanman]

I am guessing that most of the ongoing rail construction in Kashmir is about moving troops and military hardware quickly, if required?

Last time I looked, the UK foreign office advised travellers to avoid pretty much the whole of Kashmir.

I noticed the recent attack on Pathankot air base in Punjab. Pathankot was on my list of places to visit in connection with the Kangra Valley narrow guage line to Joginder Nager, before I fell ill.

Let's hope for a peacefull future for the Srinagar trains...

Ed.

 

[jis]

I am sure there is a moving troops aspect to it too, but the more important aspect of it I think is winning the hearts and minds of the pople in the valley by providing better infrastructure for transportation and power, both of which have been relatively atrocious in the past. They already love the train in the valley and across the Pir Panjal between Banihal and Baramulla. It is believed that completing the connection to the rest of India will seal a closer relationship between the somewhat isolated valley and the rest of India.

While I can see some logic to cautioning about travel in the Kashmir Valley, since so called "whites" have been kidnapped from remote parts of it in the recent past, specially from near the LOC, and not so much from the deep interior, I have no idea why the UK foreign office thinks it is unsafe for anyone to travel to Leh, which is harder to get to from the Kashmir Valley than it is to get to the Kashmir Valley, specially if you take the route mentioned below and not the one via Zoji La and Kargil (which is within miles of the LOC). But then I mostly ignore the US State Department directives about anything in India myself. So I guess you pick and choose what you feel comfortable with.

BTW one of the most spectacular road trips to Leh is directly from Himachal Pradesh across Rohtang Pass (Pir Panjal Range), Baralach La (Great Himalayan Range), Taghlang La and Lachlung La (Zanskar Range) and then through Rumtse to Indus Valley, avoiding the Kashmir Valley entirely. There is a remote plan to build a railroad along that route and then on to Karakoram pass some day. That will involved hundreds of kms of tunnels.

 

[caravanman]

Probably the Foreign Office need to cover their backs... easier to say "no" than anything else. The Indian chaps I met on the trains recently were surprised by that advice too.

I can see your point about integrating Kashmir with investment and easier train travel .

I visited Manali back in 1983, and we took a snowy jeep ride up as far as the Rhotang Pass, spectacular place. Never got any nearer to Leh. Remind me to tell you sometime of our Manali bus that caught fire when they lit a fire underneath to thin the diesel fuel. Happy times !

Ed.

 

[City of Miami]

Thanks, Jis. It makes me want to revisit. Last time I took the bus south from Srinigar. Unforgettable!!!