Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed the decision of the Union Railway Minister to stop the three proposed railway projects in the Kashmir Valley. He called it a much-needed relief for lakhs of farmer families whose livelihood was in danger. Also, advocated for people-centric and environment-friendly railway projects in the future. Mufti also urged the Center to increase railway connectivity to Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions.
In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Mehbooba Mufti said, “Agriculture and horticulture are the backbone of Kashmir’s economy, which directly or indirectly supports about two-thirds of the population. Cultivable land in the valley is only a small part of the total geographical area and has already reduced significantly due to highway, bypass and ring road projects.
‘Relief to farmers from temporary suspension of railway projects’
“Although the temporary suspension of these railway projects has provided some temporary relief, the uncertainty over their future is troubling farmer families and putting their long-term investments at risk,” he said.
Protection of fertile land is a matter of public interest – Mehbooba Mufti
Mehbooba Mufti stressed that like the rest of India, Kashmir too lives in its villages, where most of the farmers are small landholders and have no alternative source of income. He said that large-scale unemployment among the educated youth has further increased the dependence on agriculture, due to which the protection of fertile land has become a matter of great public interest.
Urge to re-plan railway projects
The PDP chief urged the Railway Ministry to cancel these projects in their existing alignment and re-plan them in a way that precious fertile land is protected. He said that by doing this, not only will the current worry be removed, but the livelihood of about one and a half million families will also be secure.
Strong advocacy for dedicated fruit corridor
Making it clear that farmers were not against railway connectivity, Mehbooba Mufti strongly pitched for a dedicated fruit corridor through a reliable rail network, especially in view of the frequent blockages on the national highway. However, he stressed that there should be a balance between development and sustainability and priority should be given to the utilization of barren and unproductive lands rather than destroying scarce agricultural land.
Mehbooba Mufti also urged the Central Government to increase railway connectivity to Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions of Jammu and Kashmir. He said these resource-rich and strategically important areas have long suffered from unreliable road connectivity, severely limiting their economic and developmental potential.
He said, “Even after more than seven decades of independence, lack of reliable rail links continues to hinder the development of Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal. When it comes to connecting such neglected areas with the national railway network, no challenge should be considered too big.” He expressed hope that their concerns and requests will be considered sympathetically in the larger public interest and immediate action will be taken.