New Delhi: In a major boost to the railway project in Jammu and Kashmir, Northern Railways are tying up with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to airlift rail coaches to Srinagar for Baramulla-Qazigund section, slated to open in December next year.

An official spokesman said that the Railways will tie up with the Indian Air Force and bring the coaches direct from Integral Coach Factory at Chennai to Srinagar.

The State Government has promised all out support to the Northern Railways.

The work on Jammu-Udhampur segment was complete and the remaining Udhampur-Baramulla work has been taken up in three phases -- Udhampur-Katra (25-KM), Katra-Qazigund (142-KM) and Qazigund-Baramulla (118-KM), the spokesman said.

In the first section, work on bridges, earth working and tunnelling was in advance stage despite some difficulties due to the detection of underground lake.

In the second section, the land acquisition papers have been submitted and in the third phase, the work was going on smoothly with minor bridges being placed, he said.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has directed the security agencies to provide all necessary security to the survey parties of the Railways.