Sandeep Gupta is chief administrative officer of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project, Northern Railway. He is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers, from the 1989 batch. He has over 34 years of experience in the planning, surveying, designing and construction of tunnels and bridges in the young Himalayan terrains. In the past, he played a key role in the advancement of rail infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir through his unwavering dedication and strategic leadership. Interestingly, he was instrumental in the construction of the country’s longest transportation tunnel (12.77 km), the world’s highest railway bridge across the river Chenab and Indian Railways’ (IR) first cable-stayed bridge.
Sandeep, renowned for his expertise in executing large-scale projects in challenging terrains, is currently heading the prestigious and complex USBRL project. He is leading teams to ensure timely and efficient project delivery in adverse geographical conditions. This project, with an estimated completion cost of Rs 420 billion, is an engineering marvel and is the most challenging infrastructure work undertaken post-independence by IR. The alignment of the USBRL involves the construction of a large number of tunnels and bridges in highly rugged mountainous terrain with very complex Himalayan geology. The project involves the construction of 36 tunnels with a total length of 119 km, which includes India’s longest transportation tunnel, spanning 12.77 km. There are 943 bridges with a combined length of 13 km. Under Sandeep’s able leadership, this prestigious national project was commissioned on January 14, 2025, pending dedication to the nation.
Sandeep states, “The vision of this project is one of connectivity and change. This is not just the fruition of a grand vision and glory at a technological marvel but a commitment to people to change their lives and minds forever. For the first time in the history of India, the Kashmir Valley will be connected with mainland railways, cutting through the mighty Himalayas, a mission which was dreamt of many times but is a reality now. The completion of the USBRL Project is a key chapter in our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of a new India-Viksit Bharat.” Moreover, he adds, “Integrating the Kashmir Valley with broad-gauge, all-weather, rail connectivity is perhaps the single largest contribution of his to the nation.”
Sandeep is a civil engineer by training from NIT, Kurukshetra, and holds a postgraduate degree in Structural Engineering from NIT, Allahabad