Railways drops Baramulla‑Uri line and Qazigund‑Srinagar‑Budgam upgrade over environment concerns

Indian Railways has cancelled the 40‑kilometre Baramulla‑Uri rail link after ecological worries were raised. The same decision also stopped the planned doubling of the 74‑kilometre Qazigund‑Srinagar‑Budgam stretch. Both projects were sent back by the Cabinet Secretariat, according to a letter from the Joint Director Works to the General Manager of Northern Railways. Baramulla legislator Javid Hassan Baig praised the move, saying the town cannot afford a line that cuts through its centre and harms heritage, land and future growth. The Baramulla‑Uri line was meant to extend the Udhampur‑Baramulla route, improve civilian travel and speed up movement of troops and supplies to the Line of Control. Environmental groups warned the track would slice through eco‑fragile highlands, orchards and villages in a high‑seismic zone 5 area prone to extreme weather. Opposition came from MLA Baig, who lodged a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly calling for a pause until a full geological, geotechnical and seismic study is done. The resolution asked for detailed checks on slope stability, soil bearing capacity, liquefaction risk, drainage and landslide susceptibility before any alignment is approved. The rail ministry had already put the Anantnag‑Pahalgam and Anantnag‑Shopian links on hold six months earlier after farmer protests. The latest cancellations show the government weighing development against environmental safety and local concerns.