Tracks of Unity: How the Jammu-to-Kashmir Train Is Becoming a Ray of Hope for Rebuilding Trust Between Two Regions

The recent success of connecting the Kashmir Valley with the Indian railway network is not merely an infrastructural milestone it is a transformative leap toward regional integration, national unity, and social healing.

- DR. ASHWANI KUMAR

For decades, Jammu and Kashmir, though geographically contiguous, have remained socially and emotionally divided. While much of the national discourse around the region focuses on political tensions, terrorism, and security concerns, one of the lesser-discussed yet equally vital contributors to this separation has been the physical and psychological disconnect between the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley.

Traditionally, the only viable route between Jammu and Srinagar has been the 280-kilometer-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. While scenic, this highway has long been unreliable frequently disrupted by snow, landslides, political unrest, and security-related restrictions. It has been a corridor marked by uncertainty, impeding regular civilian movement and deepening the isolation felt by communities on both sides. For the average citizen, traveling between the two regions was not just a journey it was an ordeal.

This is why the railway connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir is far more than just a technological feat. With the rail link now approaching the heart of the Valley, the journey from Jammu to Srinagar has been shortened to just around four hours. What was once a long and uncertain road trip has become a safe, stable, and swift ride through the majestic-and previously inaccessible-landscapes of the Himalayas.