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| Gharib Rath set to chug from Jammu | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Apr 6
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad Sunday said that under the UPA government, unprecedented expansion in the railway sector was currently being witnessed in Jammu & Kashmir, adding that the entire nation and the people of the State were eagerly looking forward to the completion of the under-construction rail line to Kashmir. The Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, in response to the Chief Minister’s observations, pledged full support to the development of J&K which, he opined, would be speeded up by the rail link to the valley.
Yadav and Mr. Azad were speaking at a well attended function here to flag off the pocket friendly fully air-conditioned Jammu Tawi-Kathgodam Garib Rath Express and laying of the foundation stone for electrification of Jammu Tawi-Suchi Pind section on Jammu-Jalandhar railway line. The flag off and foundation laying ceremony was performed by using the remote control technique from the Zorawar Singh Auditorium.
The Railway Minister said that three major rail projects, including the prestigious Rs. 11270 crore Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line, were underway in Jammu & Kashmir costing Rs. 12346 crore. The other two projects, he said, were double lining of the Jammu-Jalandhar section and the electrification of Jammu-Suchi Pind railway line. He said Rs. 1100 crore have been earmarked during the current year for these projects.
Yadav said that for speedy completion, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line has been declared a national project. He said, when completed, the project would have many firsts including the longest 10 km tunnel in the country through the Pir Panjal mountain and the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab river. The bridge, he said, would be 360 meter high and 1300 meter long. The electrification of Rs. 170 crore 222 km Jammu-Suchi Pind section would be completed in two years, he added. The Minister pledged full support of his ministry to the development of Jammu & Kashmir, saying the State was an integral part of the country and it was everybody’s responsibility to ensure its full development. He said the laying of railway line up to Kashmir would result in speedy development of the State. He said he was in touch with the Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad on railway projects in the State and assured that these would be completed in a time bound manner. He announced halt for the Jammu Tawi-Kathgodam Garib Rath Express at Kathua which was not earlier a notified halting station for the train. He said that the suggestion for extending the train to Udhampur would be seriously considered.
The Minister described the launch of the train as a historic day for the two beautiful states-J&K and Uttarakhand-which would be connected by the Garib Rath Express. The train offers an opportunity for poor people to travel by fully air conditioned train with the speed of the Rajdhani Express, he said.
Yadav dwelled on the turnaround brought about in the Railways under the UPA government and recalled how the scenario was a dismal picture under the NDA rule. He said the railways had been pushed into a morass and blood was being sucked from the poor people by raising the railway fare and freight every year. The employees of the Railways were facing retrenchment, he said, adding that the UPA government completely reversed this situation. He said as Railway Minister, he had been reducing the fare and freight charges each year, keeping in mind the common man. He said free travel had been allowed for girl students pursuing graduation courses and boys up to class 12. The licensed coolies, he said, were being regularized as class IV.
The Chief Minister, in his address, said that under the UPA government, Jammu & Kashmir was witnessing unprecedented expansion in the railway sector. He said connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country through rail was an extremely significant project that would promote tourism and easy movement of people and goods in the State. He said the entire State and the country was looking with interest and enthusiasm to the completion of this mega project. He said the Qazigund-Baramulla section within the Valley was expected to be completed this year and hoped that the Udhampur-Qazigund section would see the construction work further speeded up during 2008.
Azad said J&K and Uttarakhand would be benefited by the Garib Rath Express which would promote flow of tourists to these states. He asked the Railway Minister to consider increase in the weekly frequency of the train as it was expected to draw large number of passengers. He also directed the State tourism department officials to put tourism promotional hoardings at Nainital in Uttarakhnad. He welcomed the electrification plan of the Jammu-Suchi Pind railway track, saying it was eco-friendly and non-pollution generating train unlike those driven by diesel and coal. He hoped that the project would be completed in the stipulated period of two years. |
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