Srinagar: A special inspection train is set to operate from Srinagar to Jammu on January 5, marking a historic milestone in the region’s railway development.
Sources revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the establishment of the Jammu Railway Division via video conferencing on January 6. The event will also feature Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
On January 5, the Union Railway Minister is scheduled to inspect the Srinagar Railway Station and the USBRL section of the Kashmir rail project.
Additionally, on January 7 and 8, CRS Dinesh Chand Deshwal will carry out an inspection of the Reasi-Katra section of the Kashmir rail project.
Also the Railway Ministry will set up a new division with headquarters at Jammu under the Northern Railway Zone by reorganising the Firozpur division.
An official communication of the ministry to the Northern Railway dated Jan 1, 2025, said the Jammu division is proposed to have five sections — Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur (now martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan), Srinagar-Baramula, Bhogpur Sirwal-Pathankot, Batala (excluding)-Pathankot, and Pathankot-Joginder Nagar.
The combined length of the section will be 742.1 km.
“Final jurisdiction will be determined based on Detailed Project Report (DPR),” the ministry said.
“The Divisional headquarter office at Jammu should be set up as a modern office utilizing the full potential of information technology,” it added.
The ministry said it wants the Jammu Division to have a lean organisation set up.
“All the posts required for working of new Division will be provided from the existing post of Northern Railway,” the circular said.
The ministry has asked for a Detailed Project Report for an early to assess the infrastructure requirements and organisational structure needed for setting up the division, modalities of transfer of staff to the new division, etc.
According to railway officials, there are currently 68 rail divisions under 17 railway zones and Jammu will become the 69th division.