Jammu, July 27, 2025 : In a significant technological upgrade, the Northern Railway’s Jammu division has installed its first Direct Unlocking System at Dinanagar railway station, aiming to improve operational efficiency and safety, a senior official said.
Divisional Railway Manager Vivek Kumar said the system—installed on Saturday—directly manages railway signalling and point machinery, minimizing human error and ensuring the safe and seamless movement of trains.
“We are proud to introduce this system at Dinanagar. It’s a major step in modernising railway operations. Not only will it enhance safety, but it will also improve train efficiency and provide a better travel experience for passengers,” Kumar said.
He added that the Indian Railways plans to extend this technology to more stations as part of its broader modernisation drive.
Kashmir Railway Infrastructure Witnesses Rapid Upgrades
A Railway Ministry spokesperson also highlighted the ongoing transformation in Jammu & Kashmir’s railway infrastructure, particularly after the inauguration of two Vande Bharat Express trains between Katra and Srinagar by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025.
The opening of the Jammu-Srinagar rail link has enabled the deployment of modern track maintenance machinery in the Kashmir Valley for the first time.
“Earlier, track maintenance was done manually. Now, with machines like tampers and ballast cleaning machines (BCMs), track quality has improved significantly,” the spokesperson said.
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Tamping machines have packed stone ballast under nearly 88 km of track, improving alignment and ride quality.
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Two BCMs have already deep-screened around 11.5 km of track, with two more BCMs added in July, completing an additional 2.5 km.
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17 ballast rakes delivered from depots at Kathua, Qazigund, Madhopur, and Jind have contributed 19,000 cubic meters of stone chips to reinforce the track bed.
To monitor improvements, Track Recording Car (TRC) and Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) runs were conducted in June and July, respectively.
Major Overhaul of Coaches in Kashmir
The spokesperson also noted a paradigm shift in passenger coach maintenance. Prior to the rail link’s opening, DEMU/MEMU rakes from Kashmir had to be transported by road trailers to Lucknow for periodic overhauling—an inefficient process.
Now, for the first time, rakes are being sent directly via rail from Budgam to Lucknow for maintenance, allowing for more streamlined and effective upgrades.
“All passenger coaches in the Valley will be fully renovated and upgraded by the end of August,” the spokesperson confirmed.
Indian Railways, often called the “lifeline of the nation,” is now proving to be a new lifeline for Jammu and Kashmir, thanks to enhanced connectivity and ongoing infrastructure upgrades.
