Railways Clears Jammu-Katra Line Doubling Survey

22 Jul 2025 CW Team

The Ministry of Railways has approved the final location survey for doubling the Jammu–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway line, which spans approximately 78 km. The Northern Railway will oversee the execution of this project.

Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, stated that the survey, covering a 77.96-km stretch, will cost an estimated Rs 125.9 million. He emphasised that this step lays the groundwork for the construction of a future double-track railway line.

The proposed doubling is expected to enhance convenience and comfort for pilgrims travelling to the Vaishno Devi shrine. Beyond religious tourism, the line is also projected to strengthen the region's broader economic infrastructure.

Currently, the Jammu-Katra section operates as a single line through Udhampur under the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which limits operational flexibility. This constraint hampers the addition of new services and the ability to manage high traffic during peak pilgrimage periods.

The successful commissioning of the USBRL project has integrated the Kashmir Valley into the national railway grid, increasing passenger inflows. The Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, in particular, has received a strong response from both tourists and residents. Against this backdrop, the approval for the final location survey reflects the Railway Ministry’s commitment to addressing the region’s expanding transport demands.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Lucknow Metro East-West Corridor Consultancy Contract Awarded

The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has awarded the first construction-related consultancy contract for the Lucknow Metro East West Corridor to a joint venture of AYESA Ingenieria Arquitectura SAU and AYESA India Pvt Ltd. The firm was declared the lowest bidder for the Detailed Design Consultant contract for Lucknow Metro Line-2 under Phase 1B and the contract was recommended following the financial bid. The contract is valued at Rs 159.0 million (mn), covering design services for the corridor. Lucknow Metro Line-2 envisages the construction of an 11.165 kilometre corridor connecting Cha..

Div Com Kashmir Urges Fast Tracking Of Jhelum Water Transport Project

The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir has called for the fast-tracking of the Jhelum water transport project, urging district administrations and relevant agencies to accelerate planning and clearances. In a meeting convened at the divisional headquarters, the commissioner instructed officials from irrigation, public health engineering and municipal departments to prioritise the project and coordinate survey and design work. The directive emphasised removal of administrative bottlenecks and close monitoring to ensure timely mobilisation of resources and contractors. Officials were told to in..

Interarch Reports Strong Q3 And Nine Month Results

Interarch Building Solutions Limited reported unaudited results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025, recording strong revenue growth driven by execution and a robust order book. Net revenue for the third quarter rose by 43.7 per cent to Rs 5.225 billion (bn), compared with Rs 3.636 bn a year earlier, reflecting heightened demand in pre-engineered building projects. The company’s total order book as at 31 January 2026 stood at Rs 16.85 bn, supporting near-term visibility. EBITDA excluding other income for the quarter increased by 43.2 per cent to Rs 503 million (mn),..