DG RPF inspects newly commissioned railway line in Ramban

Banihal/Jammu, Apr 13 (PTI) Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF) Manoj Yadava on Saturday commenced his two-day visit of Jammu and Kashmir by inspecting the newly commissioned railway line and stations between Banihal and Sangaldan in Ramban district, officials said.

The 48.1 km long Banihal-Sangaldan stretch along the country’s most ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project was dedicated to the people by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu on February 20.

Out of the total 272-km USBRL project, 161 km was earlier commissioned in phases. The first phase Qazigund-Baramulla section covering 118 km was inaugurated in October, 2009, followed by the opening of the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund in June, 2013 and 25-km Udhampur-Katra in July, 2014.

According to railway officials, the work on the remaining railway line between Katra and Sangaldan is likely to be completed by June this year.

Yadava, accompanied by officials of RPF and northern railway, reached Banihal station on a special inspection rail car from Srinagar, after which he inspected the railway station and RPF post, the officials said.

He then visited the Khari, Sumbar and Sangaldan railway stations and inspected the deployment of railway protection force and security, they said.

On Sunday, the DG will be reviewing security of railway infrastructure in Srinagar followed by a visit to the Baramulla railway station, the officials added.