JAMMU (Metro Rail News): Jammu is the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, a union territory of India. It is the union territory’s capital and the largest city in the Jammu district. Jammu, located on the banks of the Tawi River, is surrounded by the Himalayas in the north and the northern plains in the south. It is the second most populated city in the UT.
Jammu, often known as the City of Temples because of its ancient temples and Hindu monuments, is the most visited union territory. The neighbouring Samba district borders Jammu city. Jammu city is the administrative division’s leading cultural and economic centre. One of the most well-known local Basmati rice varieties is grown in the RS Pura area near Jammu and processed in Jammu rice mills. Apart from rice mills distributed throughout Jammu, the industrial estate at Bari Brahmana is home to many industrial units producing a wide range of items such as carpets, electronic goods, and electric goods.
A metro system to boost the local transport network
Tourism is the primary industry in Jammu. As the second-to-last railway terminal in North India, it serves as a hub for pilgrims heading to Vaishno Devi and the Kashmir valley. All routes leading to Kashmir, Poonch, Doda, and Ladakh begin in Jammu. As a result, the city is always crowded with people from all across India. Historic palaces of importance include Mubarak Mandi Palace, Purani Mandi, Rani Park, Amar Mahal, Bahu Fort, Raghunath Temple, Ranbireshwar Temple, Karbala, Peer Meetha, and the Old City. In addition, Jammu has a railway station called Jammu Tawi (station code JAT), which connects the city to most of the important Indian towns. Pakistan discontinued the ancient railway link to Sialkot in September 1947, and Jammu had no rail services until 1971 when the Indian Railways built the Pathankot-Jammu Tawi Broad Gauge line. The new Jammu Tawi station was opened in October 1972 and served as an interchange for Express trains. With the completion of the Jammu-Baramulla railway, all trains to the Kashmir Valley will pass through Jammu Tawi.
A portion of the Jammu-Baramulla project was completed, and the track was extended to Katra. The portion between Jalandhar and Pathankot has been duplicated and electrified. Jammu is linked to the Kashmir valley by National Highway 44, which runs through the city. Jammu is linked to Poonch by National Highway 1B. Jammu is located 80 kilometres from Kathua and 68 kilometres from Udhampur. Katra, a famous pilgrimage town, is located 49 kilometres from Jammu.
Jammu Airport is located in the heart of the city. Direct flights are available to Srinagar, Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Leh, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Jammu Airport receives and departs 30 flights per day from Go First, Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Vistara. In addition, the city offers JKSRTC city buses and minibuses that follow specific routes for local transportation. Matadors are the name given to these minibuses. In addition to this, auto-rickshaw and cycle-rickshaw services are also available. Local taxis are also available. Therefore, owing to the needs of a fast-developing city and meeting the requirement of the growing population in the second most populous town in the UT, the central government has envisaged a modern transport system for Jammu Metrolite both for Jammu & Kashmir primarily to reduce the congestion on roads and provide the commuters with a modern, clean, safe and sustainable public transport system. J&K is also one of the country’s priority areas where the government wants to develop significantly.
Jammu Metro : Information
The Jammu Light Metro (Metrolite) with two lines and forty stations is a light rail transit (LRT) system proposed by the Housing and Urban Development Department of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir to be built in Jammu. The 23-kilometer Jammu Metro Phase 1 project will include two elevated lines and 22 stations, with an interchange at Exhibition Grounds. Both lines will be extended further in Phase 2.
The union territory’s Administrative Council agreed in principle in February 2020 to engage the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to assist with the appraisal and approval of the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the central government, in addition to any possible external funding.
Key Figures
- Operational : 0 km
- Under Construction : 0 km
- Approved : 0 km
- Proposed : 43.50 km
- Estimated Project Cost : Rs 4825 cr (Phase 1)
- Estimated Ridership : 2 lakh (2027)
Phase 1 Routes
Line-1 : Bantalab – Greater Kailash
- Length : 17 km
- Type : Elevated
- Depot : Bantalab
- Number of Stations : 17
- Station Names :Â Bantalab, Chinori, Roop Nagar, Janipur, High Court, Lower Laxmi Nagar, Ambphalla, Secretariat, Raghunath Temple, Exhibition Ground, University, Panama Chowk, Jammu Railway Station, Trikuta Nagar, Trikuta Nagar Extn, Narwal, Greater Kailash
Line-2 : Udheywala – Exhibition Ground
- Length : 6 km
- Type : Elevated
- Depot : Udheywala
- Number of Stations : 6
- Station Names : Udheywala, Tirath Nagar, Suraj Nagar, Circuit House, Jewel Chowk, Exhibition Ground
Phase 2 Routes
Line-1 Extn   : Greater Kailash – Bari Brahmana Railway Station
- Length : 6 km
- Type : Elevated
- Number of Stations : 5
- Station Names : Greater Kailash II, Kaluchak, SIDCO Factories, Bari Bahmana, Bari Brahmana Railway Station
Line-2 Extn   : Exhibition Ground – Satwari Chowk
- Length : 14.5 km
- Type : Elevated
- Number of Stations : 12
- Station Names : Rangora, Narwal Mandi, Transport Nagar, Malik Market, Sector 6, Sainik Colony, Greater Kailash, Kunjwani Chowk, Gangyal, Preet Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, Satwari Chowk
Metro Fares (Ticket Prices)
Jammu Metro’s prices, fare structure and rules have not been finalized or announced yet. That will be done closer to the start of commercial operations.
Latest Update
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently stated that Metro Rail projects for Jammu and Srinagar are under evaluation/approval. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore stated that Metro Rail requests from Jammu and Srinagar, among other cities, have been received for Central financial assistance and are in various stages of appraisal/approval.
- The Metro Rail in Jammu will be 23 kilometres long and will cost Rs 4069.68 crore, while the Metro Rail in Srinagar will be 25 kilometres long and will cost Rs 4892.51 crore. The MetroLite project for Jammu would be approved up to Bari Brahmana, according to plans. The Ministry has decided to extend MetroLite up to AIIMS Vijaypur in the second phase because extending it beyond Bari Brahmana in the first phase will cause the project to be further delayed because a new Detailed Project Report (DPR) would have to be written.
- According to the concept, Jammu will have a 23-kilometer MetroLite line from Bantalab to Bari Brahmana with 22 stations on the way, while Srinagar will have a 25-kilometer MetroLite line divided into two sectors of 12.5 kilometres each. The first corridor would connect Indira Nagar and HMT Junction, while the second will connect Hazuri Bagh and Osmanabad. Srinagar will have 24 stations, 12 on each corridor.
- The MetroLite is planned to run for 17 hours in Jammu and 14 hours in Kashmir. The MetroLite will have elevated corridors instead of underground tunnels. The MoHUA is reviewing the project and shall soon present it to the Cabinet for approval. The Jammu and Kashmir administration expect the plan to be approved by the Union Cabinet soon.
- According to sources, the MetroLite projects in Jammu and Srinagar is primarily intended to reduce traffic congestion in the two cities of Jammu and Srinagar along with the outskirts in the long run. The Central Government has prioritised Jammu and Kashmir over several other states and union territories in the approval of metro train projects. The funding scheme for the two projects has also been determined. Following formal confirmation by the Central Government, the project’s execution in both cities will commence.
