Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link
Also called: USBRL · Topic: Transport and Communication in India · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 7 "Lifelines of National Economy"
Meaning
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) joins the Kashmir valley to India's national rail network. The line had to cross steep Himalayan slopes and deep river gorges, so it needed long tunnels and very tall bridges. It was built in parts. The Banihal-Baramulla section inside the valley was open by 2013, and the full link opened in June 2025. It gives Kashmir an all-weather link, because snow often blocks the road.
Example
The Chenab Rail Bridge in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir, is on this line. It stands 359 m above the river and is the world's highest railway arch bridge. The same line also has the Anji Khad bridge, which is a cable-stayed bridge (the deck hangs from steel cables tied to a tall tower).
Don't confuse with
- Konkan Railway: a 760 km coastal line from Roha (Maharashtra) to Mangaluru (Karnataka), opened in 1998, which crosses the Western Ghats region. USBRL is a Himalayan line in Jammu and Kashmir.
Related concepts
- Konkan Railway
- Chenab Rail Bridge
- Bogibeel Bridge
- New Pamban Bridge
- Dedicated freight corridor
- Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail
- Vande Bharat Express
- Kavach