Model of Pir Panjal rail tunnel at IITF

Visitors at the India International Trade Fair here will get a feel of the Pir Panjal tunnel, the crucial rail link with Kashmir.
The tunnel, among many other things, is part of the Railway pavilion, which was inaugurated by Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar.
The pavilion, with a pristine appeal and a futuristic outlook, is also showcasing Railways' important units through static and working models for the visitors.
The opening of the 12 km-long Pir Panjal rail tunnel has paved the way to an all-weather connectivity into the Kashmir Valley throughout the year.
Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1300 crore, the longest rail tunnel in the country connects the Banihal in Jammu with Qazikund in Kashmir. It is part of the 345-km Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line, aimed at connecting Jammu with Baramulla.

Earlier due to snowfall, the Jawahar tunnel would have to be closed during the winter months. But the Pir Panjal tunnel will be operational during the winter days also, said a senior Railway Ministry official.