Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 3: The Centre on Tuesday said that three proposed railway projects in Kashmir have been put on hold following objections from locals and elected representatives.
Union Railway Minister Ashwani Kumar said, “There is already a railway line from Srinagar to Baramulla, and there was a demand to set up three more railway lines.”
He said, “Later, the Jammu and Kashmir government and Members of Parliament raised concerns that these lines must not be set up as these would have impacted apple orchards significantly. Now, the government has decided to put these proposed projects on hold,” he said.
Kumar said that survey for railway projects from Baramula to Uri and Jammu to Rajouri is at the last stage.
The Minister further added that when almost all roads connections Kashmir were hit, railway emerged as hope for the people of J&K through which apple reached different parts of country and now items are being brought from Jammu to Kashmir.
The decision of halting three railway projects comes amid protests by apple growers and residents in Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag districts, voicing concern that these projects would affect the agricultural and horticultural land, damage orchards, and lead to displacement of families.
Several demonstrations were held over the past months, with locals demanding rerouting of the projects, fair compensation, and consultation before any land acquisition.
“The decision to put the Pahalgam and Shopian railway lines on hold brings much needed relief to Kashmir’s agrarian economy. These projects threatened to destroy scarce fertile land and push over a million rural families into uncertainty. Development that uproots farmers is not progress. Any future plan must be reviewed transparently, with farmers and local communities taken on board, to protect Kashmir’s economy and social fabric.” Said former CM Mehbooba Mufti in a post on ‘X’.
Meanwhile farmers across South Kashmir have heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this news and demanded a permanent cancellation.
Zahoor Ahmad Dar a farmer from Shopian said that he is the father of five daughters and orchards are his only source of income and the proposed railway project was coming through his orchards.
He said that this decision came as a sigh of relief but still fear continues till projects will be abandoned.
Abbas Ahmad a resident of Jaibal area of Anantnag said that he spent all his earnings to construct a house in the last 10 years and as per the proposed railway line he had to dismantle his house due to which their whole family was in depression.
He said there are hundreds of families in Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag who were getting hit due to the proposed railway lines and now this decision has come as a temporary relief and we are hopeful that the government will take a decision in favour of people and permanently cancel these projects.
