SRINAGAR: Passenger safety on the ambitious Katra-Banihal Kashmir rail link is at serious risk due to glaring deficiencies in safety evaluations, alleges Alok Kumar Verma, a retired Chief Engineer of the USBRL Project, who accuses the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) of gross misconduct and negligence in approving the section for passenger services.
In a detailed letter to the Railway Board, a copy of which is in possession of the Srinagar-based news gathering agency Kashmir Dot Com, Verma pointed out major safety lapses, including superficial load testing, inadequate fire safety, and the failure to address critical disaster management measures. The retired CE has demanded urgent action and accountability for these deficiencies, stressing the serious risks to public safety.
“After three detailed letters to the Honourable Minister of Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, addressing critical safety, cost, and operational concerns surrounding the Katra-Banihal rail link under the USBRL Project, I have finally received a response—albeit a feeble one. On January 17, 2025, the Principal Chief Engineer of Northern Railway informed me that officers from the Open Line and Construction (USBRL Project) wish to discuss these matters. While I appreciate this initiative, it is grossly insufficient given the gravity of the issues, which demand an immediate and comprehensive review by the Railway Board itself,” reads the letter from Alok Kumar Verma addressed to Naveen Gulati, Member (Infrastructure) Railway Board, and others.
“Having reviewed the ‘Authorization’ dated January 14, 2025, issued by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northern Circle, approving the Katra-Reasi section for public passenger services, I must unequivocally state that the CRS’s actions reflect gross misconduct and may even amount to criminal negligence. This conclusion stems from the following alarming deficiencies and irregularities:”
“Key Irregularities in the CRS Report; Superficial Load Testing of the Anji Khad Bridge: The report includes only a vague statement that ‘the results of the load test conducted on the bridge indicate satisfactory behaviour of the structure.’ It omits critical details such as testing methodology, measured parameters, and their comparison with design values. No certification confirms that the load test validated design assumptions or excluded hidden construction defects, raising serious doubts about its adequacy.”
“Neglect of Reinforced High Cut-Slope Stability: The CRS report passes responsibility to the design consultant by stating that ‘adequacy of works carried out for rock stability, tunnel lining, slope stability of the bank in the yards, and tunnel portals should be certified by the design consultant regarding stability and safety.’ This abdication of responsibility undermines the statutory role of the CRS in ensuring safety,” the letter reads.
“Inadequate Fire Safety Measures in Trains: The report vaguely suggests that ‘dedicated (fire-resistant) rolling stock may be considered for the section.’ It fails to verify whether the train sets that would run on this line meet fire safety standards as outlined in the 2005 Task Force report ‘Review of the Operational Maintenance and Safety Requirements of the New Line Under the Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link Project,’ leaving critical elements like fire prevention, firefighting systems, and evacuation plans unexamined. As reported by the media, these train sets are already available on the line.”
“Lack of Recommendations for Fire Safety in Tunnels: The CRS report does not evaluate or recommend essential fire safety features for long tunnels, such as ventilation systems, emergency escape routes, fireproof linings, sprinkler systems, or fire-resistant electrical cables, which are dealt with in the above Task Force report. This omission is especially alarming given the complexity and length of the tunnels in this project.”
“Superficial Disaster Management Review: The report merely states that the ‘approved Disaster Management Plan shall be made available to all departments.’ It fails to provide actionable strategies for critical scenarios, particularly for infrastructure like the Chenab Bridge, where damage could result in closures lasting 5 to 7 years, as was highlighted by the Sreedharan Committee in its 2015 report. Failure to Address Integrated Safety Systems: The report does not evaluate how various safety measures for bridges, tunnels, and slopes integrate into a cohesive risk mitigation strategy. For a project of this scale, such integration is essential to operational safety and reliability.”
“Gross Misconduct by the CRS; These deficiencies expose a profound failure of the CRS to fulfil their statutory obligations. The superficiality of the report combined with the abdication of responsibility to third parties constitutes gross misconduct. Approving the line for passenger operations without addressing these glaring safety gaps compromises public safety and risks eroding the credibility of Indian Railways,” the letter further reads.
“Flawed Planning, Soaring Costs, and Meager Line Capacity: The 111-kilometre rail line spans treacherous terrain between Katra and Banihal. From the start, the alignment was ill-conceived, and the recommendations by two expert committees were ignored. With an estimated cost of INR 40,000 crore—or INR 800 crore per kilometre of the straight-line distance covered—it is the world’s most expensive single-track line, possibly in the entire history of world railways. Yet, its capacity is limited to just 10 to 12 trains daily in each direction, about one-third the capacity of a well-designed single line in mountains, rendering it one of the least efficient. The compromises made in the station layouts and station spacing to somehow finish the line’s construction in its more than 22-year history have resulted in this drastically reduced capacity. This exorbitant cost has been exacerbated by incessant delays and frequent alignment changes and an unprecedented reinforcing of slopes in attempts to improve their stability, albeit temporarily, which have added INR 18,000 crore to the cost.”
“Cost Comparison Highlights: The Katra-Banihal section’s cost is 11 times higher than the cost of the Udhampur-Katra section of this project, completed earlier, which cost INR 70 crore per kilometre (adjusted for inflation). The line’s cost per kilometre is 21 times higher than the cost of a two-lane highway in a similar terrain. The Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh, for which funds were released recently by the GOI, is expected to cost INR 37 crore per kilometre. The INR 40,000 crore spent on this line could have built 21 modern two-lane highways from Katra to Banihal, each with higher capacity and resilience. The cost comparison details are given in Annexure I.”
“Urgent Need for Action: I urge the Railway Board to: Convene a high-level meeting to comprehensively review the CRS report and its deficiencies. Employ a global consultant to conduct slope stability evaluations and load-deflection tests, which ought to be overseen by a panel of impartial specialists. Establish accountability for the lapses in the statutory inspection process. Ensure that all identified safety gaps are addressed immediately through an independent and transparent review process.”
“The safety, sustainability, and public trust in the Katra-Banihal rail link must take precedence over expediency. Ignoring these systemic issues could lead to catastrophic consequences. I look forward to your urgent response to this critical matter,” the letter added. (KDC)
