Srinagar, Sep 26: The Ministry of Railways has withdrawn two proposed railway projects in Jammu and Kashmir — the Baramulla-Uri new rail line and the Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam doubling project — after the proposals were returned by the Cabinet Secretariat, according to a communication issued by the ministry.

In a communication addressed to the General Manager of Northern Railway, the Ministry of Railways stated that the two projects “have been returned by Cabinet Secretariat and are no longer under consideration.”
The projects include the 40-km Baramulla-Uri new line and the Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam doubling project. The ministry's communication has also been forwarded to the Chief Administrative Officer (Construction)/USBRL, Northern Railway, Jammu, for information.
The development comes months after the Railways had prepared Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for both projects. In February, the Ministry of Railways said a 118-km Qazigund-Srinagar-Budgam doubling project and a 40-km Baramulla-Uri new line had been proposed to strengthen rail connectivity in the border region.
At the time, the ministry said preparation of DPRs did not amount to final sanction, with project approval requiring consultations with stakeholders and clearances including appraisal by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance.
The Baramulla-Uri project was envisaged as an extension of the existing rail network towards Uri, while the doubling project was aimed at augmenting capacity on the Kashmir Valley's existing rail corridor. Earlier, in July 2026, the Centre had notified both projects as Special Railway Projects under the Railways Act, according to Gazette-tracking records.
The reported withdrawal therefore marks a change from the position in April, when Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Uri-Baramulla line was under planning and DPR stage, while doubling work between Qazigund and Baramulla was described as underway.
The Baramulla-Uri proposal had also come under scrutiny in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. A private member's resolution sought an independent geological, geotechnical and seismic assessment of the proposed alignment before further progress.