Jammu, Feb 3: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday welcomed the Railway Ministry’s decision to put three projects on halt in the Union Territory, but requested an increase in the frequency and number of coaches of Vande Bharat trains operating between Katra and Srinagar.
Earlier in the day, National Conference MLA from Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmad Wani, informed the J&K Assembly that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced the decision to put three railway projects— proposed to connect Srinagar with Pahalgam and Shopian— on hold, and lauded the efforts of the chief minister in this regard.
“Regarding the railway lines, there was no specific public demand for these routes. The road conditions there are good, and proper highways have already been built. The routes that were proposed for these railway lines were passing through our productive orchards and tourist areas, particularly towards Pahalgam.
“Elected representatives from those areas, MLAs, and local residents met me and said that this railway line would not benefit them; instead, it would cause them losses. They asked me to convey this concern to the Centre,” the chief minister told reporters on the sidelines of a function here this evening.
Abdullah said he discussed the matter with the railway minister on couple of times and told him to assess it personally.
“I said that if the intention is to take the railway via Pahalgam to Ladakh or to connect Rajouri-Poonch through Shopian, then we can agree to that. But if the railway line merely touches Pahalgam and Shopian without serving any real demand, then it will not be of much use. Instead, it will only lead to the acquisition of our valuable land,” he said.
To his credit, the chief minister said he understood the sentiments of the people, and the projects have been put on hold. “This matter was examined thoroughly before taking that decision.”
Responding to another question on the successful operation of Vande Bharat trains connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country despite recent heavy snowfall, he said the rail connectivity was a welcome step but added that the frequency of the trains and the number of coaches needed to be increased.
“The situation is that we are not able to get tickets for the Vande Bharat train. When Vande Bharat was announced, people thought that on days when flights are cancelled or highways are closed, we would simply board the train.
“But now I am told that I have to book tickets three to four months in advance, and only then might I get a seat on Vande Bharat. How am I supposed to know what the condition of the road will be four months from now?” the chief minister said.
He congratulated the Railways on the successful operation of the train but said, “Along with that, I have two requests — first, the frequency of Vande Bharat should be increased; second, the length of the train should be extended.”
“This is the shortest version of the train, with only eight coaches. Recently, I came to know that Vande Bharat trains with 16, 18, or even 20 coaches are being introduced. So let us not talk about 16 or 20 for now — at least increase it from eight to 12 coaches,” he said.
