The long-awaited railway connection to Kashmir has officially opened, marking a significant development for the region. After years of complex engineering and substantial investment, Indian officials celebrated the inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, a milestone that fulfills a dream rooted in the colonial era. Despite claims of transformative benefits for local communities, many Kashmiris perceive the project as a mechanism for entrenching the Indian government’s authority.
The rail line, extending 170 miles and constructed at a cost of approximately $4.4 billion, boasts remarkable engineering feats, including one of the world's tallest railway bridges and a nearly seven-mile tunnel cutting through challenging mountain terrain. Officials emphasize that this new connection will facilitate economic integration, allowing Kashmir to partake in India’s broader economic growth. Presently, residents rely on a single road that is often rendered impassable by heavy snowfall in winter.
“You can feel the excitement,” expressed Naveed Hassan, a 28-year-old entrepreneur, who sees the train as a boon for tourism, enhancing the region's potential to attract visitors directly from Delhi. For many, however, this infrastructural achievement comes with mixed feelings, as it raises issues of security and autonomy amidst ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly following a recent terrorist attack that delayed the rail line’s official opening. While the promise of increased trade and tourism excites some, the overarching sentiment among others is concern over further Indian governance in a historically disputed region.
The rail line, extending 170 miles and constructed at a cost of approximately $4.4 billion, boasts remarkable engineering feats, including one of the world's tallest railway bridges and a nearly seven-mile tunnel cutting through challenging mountain terrain. Officials emphasize that this new connection will facilitate economic integration, allowing Kashmir to partake in India’s broader economic growth. Presently, residents rely on a single road that is often rendered impassable by heavy snowfall in winter.
“You can feel the excitement,” expressed Naveed Hassan, a 28-year-old entrepreneur, who sees the train as a boon for tourism, enhancing the region's potential to attract visitors directly from Delhi. For many, however, this infrastructural achievement comes with mixed feelings, as it raises issues of security and autonomy amidst ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly following a recent terrorist attack that delayed the rail line’s official opening. While the promise of increased trade and tourism excites some, the overarching sentiment among others is concern over further Indian governance in a historically disputed region.
