A Train to Kashmir! A Dream Come True

Srinagar, Nov 8 (UNI) After decades of wait, a train has finally reached Kashmir via the 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, pulled by a trailer-truck...and not on a rail track.

For the people of Kashmir and the Indian Railways, it is a dream come true. But, they have to wait for some more time before the train starts to run on iron wheels or rail tracks.

Hundreds of people were today lined up on both sides of the road between Qazigund and Khanabal to watch the Indian Railways perform the first of its kind exercise in its history as Joginder Singh, the driver of the trailer-truck, steered the vehicle pulling the two train coaches towards Srinagar.

To meet the deadline of February next year for a train with eight bogeys to start running in Kashmir, the Northern Railways was faced with a tough task of transporting the train coaches to the Valley.

Railway engineers had suggested three ways for transporting coaches to Kashmir. Firstly, it was decided to transport the coaches to the valley in a dismantled state, where these could be later assembled. However, it could not be done because of technical reasons.

Secondly, it was proposed to airlift the coaches. However, the idea was promptly shelved because there is no plane in the country, which can carry train coaches and engines. Finally, it was decided to transport the coaches, each 23 meters long, through road.

It was decided to replace the iron wheels with special rubber truck wheels and take the coaches/DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) through the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

In all 24 coaches -- two at a time -- plus two diesel engines will be transported from Jammu to Kashmir for running regular train services there from February 2007. The train would first run between Raj Winsher in the central Kashmir district of Badgam and Awantipora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Once the coaches reach the railway yard at Badgam in central Kashmir, their truck tyres will again be replaced by iron wheels for their normal run on rail tracks.

Roads had been widened by cutting the corners wherever needed for the movement of this special vehicle fitted with 32-truck wheels and pulled by a 460-horse power and ten-wheel Volvo engine.

The Railway was spending about Rs 15 lakh on the transportation of each coach to the valley and a leading transport company of the country was given the job.

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