October 2 will begin a new development for Kashmir as it receives its first electric train which will cover the 137 Kms long Banihal-Baramulla corridor.
Kashmir is prepared to get its first electric train next month, marking a significant step. On the 137 km long Baramulla-Banihal rail track in Jammu and Kashmir, the first electric train is anticipated to chug next month. The first electric train is now undergoing a trial run, according to Kashmir Northern Railways' Chief Area Manager Saqib Yousuf. He said that trials on the Baramulla-Budgam route are ongoing even though electrification work on the sector was completed in May or June.
The Budgam-Banihal section is now being electrified, and when the construction is finished, a trial run will also be done on the sector.
On September 26, an obligatory Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (PCEE) inspection of the Baramulla-Banihal railway corridor's electric rail link would take place, according to Saqib. With three main sub-stations at Qazigund, Budgam, and Baramulla from which electricity will be delivered to the overhead equipment of the rail line, the electrified route's entire length is 137.73 kilometers.
The project would cost 324 crores in total.
The dates for operating the world's first electric train will be decided upon following the conclusion of test runs and approval from the inspection team, according to Saqib.
If all goes well, the first-ever electric train from Baramulla to Banihal is anticipated to chug on the J&K railroad track next month, he added. It is being decided how many runs per day the electric train will run on the J&K rail sector. The electric train operation would not be disrupted in the winter due to heavy snowfall; Saqib stated the train will have a continuous power supply. It will have its feeds.
The electric train would be good for the environment since it would minimize pollutants. Train efficiency would also improve since electric engines are more efficient than diesel ones. Furthermore, there would be no need for fuel transportation, which would reduce fuel costs.
After a long wait, the Valley's first rail service arrived in 2013. It was dedicated by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Currently, 19 rail services with seven trains operate on the Baramulla-Banihal section in J&K. Every day, over 30,000 people, including students and office workers, ride the trains.