On June 6, 2025, a historic milestone was achieved as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the final section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), including the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab River. This event marked the culmination of a vision first articulated by Maharaja Pratap Singh over a century ago.

Maharaja Pratap Singh, who reigned from 1885 to 1925, was a forward-thinking ruler of the Dogra dynasty. As Kashmir gets connected with Kanyakumari, we can say he was at least 133 years ahead of his time. It was on March 1, 1892, that he proposed the idea of a railway line to connect Jammu with Srinagar, aiming to integrate the remote Kashmir Valley with the broader Indian subcontinent. Recognizing the strategic and economic significance of such a link, he commissioned British engineers to survey the challenging terrain.

Between 1898 and 1909, three detailed reports were prepared:

• D.A. Adam’s Report: Suggested a narrow-gauge electric railway, which was rejected due to elevation challenges.
• W.J.........
  

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