Title - Katra rail line project likely to meet deadline as work on tunnel is complete

JAMMU, May 27: Udhampur-Katra Railway track is likely to meet the deadline as the executing agency has completed work on the major tunnel near Jakheni, which was delaying progress on the ambitious project.
“We have completed the work on tunnel T1 and its alignment while track is ready to be laid for which a time of around one month will take,” informed General Manager Northern Railway V K Gupta, who inspected the tunnel and the allied works here today.
After lying of track, Commissioner Railway Safety will be approached for inspection of the project and issuance of a formal certificate for final clearance to chug the train on Udhampur-Katra rail line, he added.
Pertinent to mention that June 2013 has been fixed as fresh deadline for the much awaited completion of 25 kilometer long Udhampur-Katra rail line.
Even as maximum work on the track was almost finished, the sipping of water in Tunnel T1 and T3 was creating hurdles in finishing the job following which global tenders were floated and an Austria based international engineering company was allotted job to complete the task.
Work on tunnel T3 was recently completed after making an outlet for the sipping water through an L-shaped channel.
The Udhampur -Katra track of 25 kilometers consists of 38 bridges while its 43 percent portion is covered by tunnels.
The GM Northern Railway, who was accompanied by a team of senior officers from the Railway Department and Engineers of the construction company, inspected tunnel T1 and is learnt to have expressed his satisfaction over completion of the work. He also issued necessary instructions for the work on laying of track in the tunnel.
Later, the GM visited Katra Railway Station and inspected the facilities made available for the passengers. He also went through the infrastructure made available for the General Railway Police and Railway Protection Force.
Meanwhile, sources informed that a seven-member Estimates Committee of Parliament arrived here today to review the progress on various sections of Jammu-Udhampur-Katra-Baramulla-Srinagar railway line.
Tomorrow morning, the team will have a meeting with GM Northern Railway V K Gupta and officers of the construction company and discuss the latest developments and progress on the project.
In the afternoon, sources added, the team will fly to Srinagar for on the spot assessment of works on railway line in Valley.
It is pertinent to mention here that 11 kilometer long tunnel between Qazigund-Banihal has also been completed and Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the same during his visit to Kashmir valley in the month of June.