Govt mulling to construct cargo terminals along B’la-Banihal railway line

Srinagar, Feb 02: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is mulling to construct cargo terminals along the Baramulla-Banihal railway in Valley and five stations have been identified by railways.
The move is aimed to stock supplies for easy transportation across the country, officials on Thursday said.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, PK Pole told Rising Kashmir within 1-2 years, Banihal and Baramulla railway line will get connected to rest of the country and for that administration has identified land for construction of go-downs or warehouses for easy and safe transportation of goods.
“We have identified some places along the railway line. The primary options for the construction of these warehouses include Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Awantipora, Pampore, and Budgam. We are working with railways to ease the entire process,” he said.
Pole said that there is more dependency on highways in Kashmir and if new roads will be built within the next few years. There will be still some gap and railways will try to bridge that gap for safer and easy transportation of goods, he said.
Chief Area Manager (CAM) Kashmir, Saqib Yousuf Yatoo (IRTS) said railways has identified the land for making some cargo terminals under Gati Shakti Cargo Rail Terminal (GCT) scheme along the Baramulla-Banihal railway line.
Recently Sr Divisional Commercial Manager/FS, Northern Railway Firozpur on behalf of president of India had invited Expression of interest (EOI) for setting up of cargo Terminals over FZR Division (GCT) scheme, he said.
As per that document, all the new cargo terminals shall be covered by this policy. Gati Shakti Multi-Model Cargo Terminal Operator (GCTO) shall also bear the entire capital cost of new GCT from the take-off point onwards to be marked on the Engineering scale plan (ESP)at the serving station.
It further stated the capital cost of all common users facilities at the serving station including signaling and telecommunications works, modifications and upgradations to existing interlocking OHE or electrification in future within the station limit upto take off point shall be borne by the railway.
A senior Railways official said the location of GCTs is being decided on the basis of demand from industry and potential of cargo traffic. Setting up of these terminals is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for hundreds of people in the region, he said.
The official said the GCTs are being developed by private players and can be developed on non-Railway land or fully, and partially on Railway land.
“Transportation by railways will the most affordable and economical means of transport. These sanctioned terminals will have a very positive impact on farmers who sent their produce to other parts of the country,” he said.
The 137-kilometer Banihal-Baramulla railway line comprised 17 stations. Presently there are more than 21 services trains chug between the Baramulla-Banihal and Buddgam-Banihal sections.
The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway (USBRL) railway track is being laid to connect Kashmir with the rest of the country. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Firozpur Railway division of Indian Railways’ Northern zone.