OPINION | Tunnels, Rails, and Roads: Kashmir’s Infrastructure Revolution

The year 2025 will be remembered as a watershed moment in Kashmir’s infrastructure history. For the first time since independence, the Kashmir Valley has been connected to India’s railway network, marking the end of decades of isolation and the beginning of unprecedented connectivity. This transformation represents more than engineering excellence; it signifies the triumph of national integration over geographical barriers and political challenges.

Chenab Bridge: Touching the Sky, Connecting Hearts

The crown jewel of Kashmir’s infrastructure revolution is the Chenab Rail Bridge, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 June 2025. Standing at a majestic 359 metres above the Chenab River, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower, this engineering marvel has earned its place as the world’s highest railway arch bridge.

The bridge forms the backbone of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), a 272-kilometre electrified corridor that took over four decades to complete. This national project, initially conceived in 1983, faced numerous challenges, including harsh Himalayan terrain, extreme weather conditions, and security concerns. The final cost of construction reached ₹14.86 billion, but the strategic and economic dividends promise to be immeasurable.

With the Chenab Bridge operational, the Vande Bharat Express now whisks passengers from Katra to Srinagar in just three hours, a journey that previously took six to seven hours by road. The semi-high-speed trains, specially designed for Kashmir’s climate with advanced heating systems and winter-resilient engineering, operate six days a week with fares starting at ₹715 for AC Chair Car. This connectivity has already begun transforming tourism patterns, making Kashmir accessible to millions of Indians who can now reach the Valley with unprecedented ease.

Tunnels Through the Peaks: Engineering Triumph Over Nature

The completion of the Z-Morh Tunnel (also known as Sonamarg Tunnel) on 13 January 2025 represents another milestone in Kashmir’s connectivity revolution. This 6.5-kilometre tunnel, constructed at an altitude of 8,650 feet above sea level, ensures year-round access to Sonamarg, previously cut off during harsh winters.

Built at a cost of ₹2,717 crore, the Z-Morh Tunnel can handle 1,000 vehicles per hour and allows speeds up to 80 km/hr. More importantly, it serves as the gateway to Ladakh, providing crucial all-weather connectivity that was impossible before. The tunnel features advanced safety systems, including an Integrated Tunnel Management System (ITMS) with fire detection, public address systems, and emergency evacuation facilities.

The even more ambitious Zojila Tunnel project, though delayed until February 2028, promises to be Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel at 14.2 kilometres. Currently 64 per cent complete with ₹3,934 crore already spent, this tunnel will reduce the treacherous three-hour journey across Zojila Pass to just 20 minutes. Once operational, it will provide the final link in establishing permanent connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, regions that remain cut off for nearly half the year due to heavy snowfall.

Strategic Integration: Breaking the Isolation Mindset

These infrastructure developments represent far more than engineering achievements; they constitute a strategic recalibration of Kashmir’s relationship with the rest of India. For decades, geographical isolation provided fertile ground for separatist narratives. The region’s physical disconnection from mainstream India was exploited by those seeking to promote alienation and foster anti-national sentiment.

The completion of these connectivity projects fundamentally undermines the separatist argument of Kashmir’s isolation from India. When a Kashmiri can now board a Vande Bharat train in Srinagar and reach New Delhi in comfort, the psychological distance between Kashmir and the rest of India shrinks dramatically. This integration is not merely physical but deeply psychological, creating bonds of shared experience and mutual dependence.

The all-weather connectivity these projects provide eliminates one of the key grievances that separatists have historically exploited: Kashmir’s seasonal isolation and dependence on precarious road links. Now, essential supplies, medical emergencies, and normal commerce can continue uninterrupted throughout the year. This reliability reduces the sense of abandonment that winter isolation often generated among Kashmiris.

Moreover, these projects have created thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities for local Kashmiris. The Zojila Tunnel project alone employs 1,141 individuals, with 77 per cent being J&K residents and 28 per cent from Ganderbal district. This economic integration creates stakeholders in India’s development story rather than alienated observers.

Security Dividends: Logistics for National Defence

Beyond civilian benefits, these infrastructure projects provide crucial strategic advantages for India’s national security apparatus. The rail link enables rapid deployment of troops and military equipment to forward areas, while the tunnel network ensures uninterrupted supply lines even during harsh winter months.

The dual-use nature of this infrastructure, serving both civilian and military purposes, enhances India’s defensive capabilities along the China and Pakistan borders. Quick reaction capabilities are significantly improved when reinforcements can reach forward positions by rail rather than relying solely on air transport or treacherous road journeys.

This strategic infrastructure also demonstrates India’s long-term commitment to Kashmir’s development and integration, countering narratives promoted by Pakistan and separatist groups about India’s temporary or exploitative presence in the region.

Conclusion

Kashmir’s infrastructure revolution represents the materialisation of a vision decades in the making. The Chenab Bridge stands not just as an engineering marvel but as a bridge between Kashmir’s isolated past and its integrated future. The tunnel network through the Himalayas symbolises India’s determination to overcome every geographical and political obstacle to ensure Kashmir’s permanent place within the national mainstream.

This transformation has effectively countered separatist isolation strategies by creating irreversible bonds of connectivity, economic interdependence, and shared progress. When Kashmiri youth can now pursue opportunities across India with the same ease as their counterparts from other states, the artificial barriers that once fed separatist sentiment begin to crumble.

The infrastructure revolution in Kashmir proves that development and integration, pursued with determination and strategic vision, can overcome decades of alienation and mistrust. As more Kashmiris board the Vande Bharat Express to explore opportunities across India, and as tourists from across the nation discover Kashmir’s beauty through convenient rail connectivity, the bonds of national unity grow stronger with each passing day.

The tunnels, rails, and roads of Kashmir’s infrastructure revolution have not merely connected places; they have connected hearts, minds, and futures in an unbreakable chain of national integration.

About Author

Ashu Maan is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. He was awarded the Vice Chief of the Army Staff Commendation card on Army Day 2025. He is pursuing a PhD from Amity University, Noida, in Defence and Strategic Studies. His research focuses include the India-China territorial dispute, great power rivalry, and Chinese foreign policy.