Jammu to Kashmir Train Link - Jinxed ?

Indizen

The Train to Kashmir : Will it go straight ahead?
The national project constructing a rail link from Jammu to Kashmir has been derailed. The design is flawed, say some experts.
The new proposal has many benefits:

" The proposed new alignment from Katra to Banihal runs through a series of tunnels, which are 5-10km long
Avoiding landslide-prone mountain slopes, it cuts down the distance between Katra & Banihal from 125km to 67km
It crosses Chenab with a girder bridge standing on pillars 160m above the bed, while the present alignment envisages a mega arch bridge at 359m on an unstable gorge
The number of tunnels will reduce from 64 to 8 and bridges from 96 to 7
It also introduces a double line, which is needed for relief & restoration in the event of an accident or landslide
Estimated cost: Rs 9,600cr for the double line compared to Rs 10,500cr for the single line on the present meandering alignment".

The rail minister has taken no decision so far.
The project is stalled, and delayed indefinitely.

With inputs (" ") from the Times of India, Delhi
July 22, 2009