Servcie Addition in Kashmir Valley

jis · May 6, 2016

Starting 5th May two more pairs of DEMU service connecting Baramula with Banihal via Srinagar (Badgam) are being added, raising the total number of round trips per day to 15. Each individual pair runs only 6 days per week with reduced service around weekends.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/two-new-train-services-in-kashmir-valley/articleshow/52133506.cms

It is hard to imagine that there is more frequent train service up in the lofty Himalayas and Kashmir Valley than on most populated corridors in the US!

For context, Banihal is on the Indian plains side of the 11km long Pir Panjal Tunnel and Basamulla is close to the LOC between India and Pak Occupied Kashmir. The connection between Banihal and Katra, which is the current railhead connected to the Indian Railway netowrk is under construction expected to be completed in the next few years (around 2019 I would guess). The link up Katra is electrified so one can travel all the way to far away places like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, all under electric power, from Katra.

Metra Electric Rider · May 6, 2016

jis said:
It is hard to imagine that there is more frequent train service up in the lofty Himalayas and Kashmir Valley than on most populated corridors in the US!

Aren't the Indian Himalayas pretty heavily populated (and important pilgrimage route as well)? Not to mention Nepal...

jis · May 6, 2016

Some parts are well populated, but other parts are pretty desolate. Generally the river valleys are more populated than the back country away from the river valley/gorges.

The link between Katra and Banihal goes through somer eally desolate areas. OTOH quite a bit of Kashmir Valley is relatively well populated. Once you get beyond Anantnag to the south (by the Pir Panjal Range) and Sopore in the North, it gets more desolate as you hit the higher mountains. Of course a lot of the trackage in those areas are through long tunnels and on long bridges.

Metra Electric Rider · May 10, 2016

Sounds lovely - is this considered a scenic journey?

jis · May 10, 2016

Kashmir Valley in general is very scenic, so yes. However the most exciting part of the line is still under construction. The part that crosses the deep gorges with steep slopes and (unfortunately) many miles of tunnels, and includes the tallest bridge in the world. For that part from Katra to Banihal, which is scheduled to go into service late 2019 or so, almost 75% of the distance is either on bridges/viaducts or in tunnels! It has stations half of which is inside a tunnel and the other half on a bridge, and such other weirdness. It will be quite a ride. Upon its completion for the first time there will be through trains from the rest of India to the capital of Jammu and Kashmir - Srinagar.