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 the border town of Uri with Baramulla, citing ecological concerns. The project, which aimed to extend rail connectivity to the Line of Control and bolster military logistics, was shelved along with the doubling of the existing 74-kilometer Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam stretch.

This decision followed six months of delays when the rail ministry halted construction of the Anantnag-Pahalgam and Anantnag-Shopian rail links due to farmer protests. Joint Director Works of the Railways Board informed the General Manager of Northern Railways that the two projects were no longer under consideration. Baramulla's legislator, Javid Hassan Baig, welcomed the decision, stating that the town could not afford a line that would cut through its heart and jeopardize its development.

He emphasized that any development must safeguard the town's heritage, environment, land resources, and future generations. The proposed Baramulla-Uri railway line was seen as a strategic rail link, with potential for faster troop and equipment movement in the strategically sensitive area surrounding the Line of Control. However, ecological concerns arose as the line was proposed to traverse through fragile highland lands, orchards, and mountains in a high-seismic zone 5.

The corridor was also vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. Baramulla MLA Baig had submitted a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session, urging the government to put the project on hold until a comprehensive and independent geological, geotechnical, and seismic assessment of the proposed corridor is conducted. The resolution expressed serious concern over the alignment of the Baramulla-Uri Railway Line and urged the government to carry out a detailed assessment of slope stability, soil bearing capacity, liquefaction potential, seismic vulnerability, drainage conditions, and landslide susceptibility before finalizing the alignment.