India is expanding rail, highway, tunnel and airport links in Jammu and Kashmir. The main project is the 272-km Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), which connects the Kashmir Valley with the national railway network. It was inaugurated in June 2025 at a cost of ₹43,780 crore. The Zojila Tunnel had its main tunnel breakthrough in June 2026, and foundation stones for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-IV roads were laid in August 2026.
The fully electrified USBRL has 36 tunnels covering 119 km, 943 bridges and over 215 km of access roads. The project generated more than 5 crore person-days of employment.
Vande Bharat services began between Katra and Srinagar in June 2025 and were extended to Jammu Tawi in April 2026. The Jammu–Srinagar journey now takes less than five hours. The trains are designed for extreme weather and carry snow-clearance support and seismic safety features.
The Chenab Rail Bridge in Reasi district is described as the world's highest railway arch bridge. It rises 359 metres above the riverbed, is 1,315 metres long and has a 467-metre arch span. The Anji Khad Bridge, also in Reasi, is India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, with a 193-metre-high inverted-Y tower and a length of 473.25 metres. Tunnel T50, inaugurated in 2024 and connecting Khari and Sumber, is 12.77 km long and is described as India's longest transportation tunnel. It was built with the New Austrian Tunnelling Method and has a parallel escape tunnel.
The entire existing broad gauge network in the Union Territory is electrified, against about 99.6% nationwide. Four stations have been identified for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme: Budgam, Jammu Tawi, Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan (Udhampur) and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. Three further rail projects are proposed: a 216-km Jalandhar Cantt.–Jammu Tawi third line, a 78-km Jammu–Katra additional line and a 190-km Jammu/Reasi–Poonch new line.
The 6.4-km bi-directional Sonamarg (Z-Morh) Tunnel was inaugurated in January 2025 at a cost of over ₹2,700 crore. It gives all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg on the route to Leh, bypasses avalanche-prone stretches and supports winter tourism, adventure sports and local livelihoods.
The 13.153-km Zojila Tunnel is under construction between Baltal and Minamarg on NH-1. On completion, the ₹6,808-crore project will provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and cut Sonamarg–Minamarg travel time from about two hours to 30 minutes. It is expected to strengthen defence logistics, strategic mobility, tourism and trade, and to reduce disruption from snowfall and avalanches.
Further south, the 9-km Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel, formerly the Chenani–Nashri Tunnel, opened in 2017 between Udhampur and Ramban. It shortens the distance by 31 km and the journey by about two hours.
On the roads, foundation stones were laid in August 2026 for 110 PMGSY-IV projects covering 598.455 km and costing over ₹1,500 crore. They are expected to benefit 46,972 people in the Udhampur–Kathua–Doda–Kishtwar region, and several use waste plastics. Key sections of the 667-km greenfield Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway were inaugurated in July 2026. The expressway aims to cut Delhi–Katra travel from about 14 hours to six.
The widening of the Rafiabad–Kupwara road (NH-701), launched in June 2025 under Project Beacon, aims to improve last-mile and border-area connectivity. The 8.925-km Shopian Bypass (NH-444), sanctioned at ₹224.44 crore, will link Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam and speed the movement of agricultural produce.
A ₹1,677-crore expansion of the civil enclave at Srinagar International Airport, inside the IAF's Budgam Airbase, was approved in February 2026. It includes a 71,500 sq m terminal with a capacity of 10 million passengers a year and 15 aircraft parking bays. The terminal will use traditional Kashmiri architecture, rainwater harvesting, natural lighting and eco-friendly materials, and targets a 5-star GRIHA rating. Airports at Udhampur and Kishtwar are planned under the UDAN scheme to improve regional access, tourism, employment and investment.
The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, launched in October 2021, puts railways, roads, ports, waterways, airports and logistics infrastructure on a GIS-based planning platform covering 44 Central Ministries and 36 States and Union Territories. The Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT) Policy, launched in December 2021 to promote rail-linked cargo terminals through private investment, has led to 142 terminals being commissioned nationwide. The Samba GCT, commissioned in 2024, is operational, while Kathua, Anantnag and Jammu have received in-principle approvals for additional terminals.
The expanded links are expected to improve market access, tourism, trade and livelihoods, particularly for farmers, artisans and businesses. They are also expected to strengthen border security, disaster response and strategic mobility.
With reference to the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), consider the following statements:
How many of the above statements are correct?
Identify the infrastructure project on the basis of the following information:
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT) Policy has led to 142 terminals being commissioned nationwide.
Statement-II: The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan puts railways, roads, ports, waterways, airports and logistics infrastructure on a GIS-based planning platform covering 44 Central Ministries and 36 States and Union Territories.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
