Farooq Abdullah lauds PM Modi for electric train launch

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, February 20

National Conference president and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Railway Ministry for dedicating the first electric train to the Kashmir Valley. “This is a big step by the railway ministry and Prime Minister Modi and we welcome this initiative. (We) congratulate them on achieving this milestone,” Abdullah, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, said about the flagging off of new trains between Sangaldan in the Jammu division and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley.

Abdullah said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been waiting for this development for a long time as highway closures used to be a big challenge for Kashmiris. He said the rail connection would enhance tourism in the Kashmir region and facilitate the import and export of goods. “People of Jammu and Kashmir were eagerly awaiting the commencement of rail service from Srinagar to the rest of the country. That moment has now arrived,” Dr Abdullah said.

Abdullah said the railway service would benefit the people of J&K immensely. He said while it was initially anticipated that the rail link would connect the Valley with the rest of the country by 2007, the challenging terrain and the need for tunnelling caused delays. “For several years, we have been hoping that the train would connect the Valley by 2007, but due to the tough terrain, the railways had to construct tunnels to connect it,” said Abdullah.

He said by June or July of this year, the rail would finally link Kashmir with the rest of the Valley. “I hope the train from Katra will soon connect to Sangaldan. It was very challenging to see the roads frequently closed,” Abdullah said.

“The rail service will boost tourism and facilitate our goods reaching different parts of the world. It is a significant step, and I congratulate the Railway Ministry and the Prime Minister, who played a vital role in it,” he added.

Modi, who is on a visit to Jammu, dedicated various rail projects in Jammu and Kashmir to the country on Tuesday, including a new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan (48 km) and the newly-electrified Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 km).

The prime minister also flagged off the first electric train in the Valley and a train service between the Sangaldan and Baramulla stations.

The commissioning of the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section is significant as it features the usage of ballastless tracks (BLT) all along the route, providing a better riding experience to the passengers, according to an official spokesperson. The country’s longest transportation tunnel, T-50 (12.77 km), also lies in this portion between Khari and Sumber.

The rail projects will improve connectivity, ensure environmental sustainability and boost the overall economic development of the region, the spokesperson said.

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