Amid ecological concerns, rail line set to connect Uri with Baramulla shelved

The Indian Railways has abandoned plans for a 40-kilometer railway line connecting Uri to Baramulla, citing ecological concerns. The project, part of the Northern Railway's agenda, was also shelved alongside another doubling project on the 74-kilometer Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam stretch. This decision followed the suspension of the Anantnag-Pahalgam and Anantnag-Shopian rail links, which were halted due to farmer protests.

The Railways Board informed the General Manager Northern Railways that the projects had been returned by the Cabinet Secretariat and are no longer under consideration. Baramulla's legislator Javid Hassan Baig welcomed the decision, arguing that the town should not be compromised for development, emphasizing the need to protect its heritage, environment, land resources, and future generations.

The proposed Baramulla-Uri railway line, intended as an extension of the Udhampur-Baramulla rail line, was seen as a strategic link to bolster connectivity with the Line of Control and facilitate quicker troop, equipment, and logistics movement. However, ecological worries arose as the line was set to traverse through the environmentally delicate highlands, bisect Baramulla town and certain villages, and cut through orchards and mountains in a high-seismic zone.

The line also faced the risk of damage from extreme weather conditions. Opponents, including Baramulla MLA Baig, had called for the project to be set aside until an impartial geological, geotechnical, and seismic assessment of the proposed corridor was conducted. The Assembly voiced serious concerns over the alignment's proposed route and urged the government to hold off finalizing the line until a thorough and independent evaluation confirmed its geological and structural suitability and long-term safety.