The government today approved a proposal to sanction over Rs 19,000 crore for the Udhampur- Baramulla rail project that was announced over 17 years ago to connect Kashmir Valley with Jammu.

The approval was given at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, official sources said, adding that the fund will be utilised for building rail tracks from Katra in Jammu to Qazigund. The deadline for completion of the project is 2017.