early times Report
Jammu, Jan 8: Former legislator and Chairman All J&K Kissan Union (AJKKU) Ashok Sharma demanded construction of Jammu - Reasi - Kalakote -Rajouri -Poonch prestigious Rail Link Project commencement at an earliest and completed within a fixed time frame to open up the border and hilly distracts for rapid socio-economic and tourism development, in a meeting held here on Saturday under the Chairmanship of Shri Vijay Sharma Advocate District President AJKKU.
Besides others, AJKKU leader and former President Bar Association Reasi Vijay Sharma, Rajinder Sharma, Mandeep Singh, Shubam Sharma Advocates, Kamal Singh, and Shabir Hussain presented their views in the meeting.
AJKKU Chairman said that Rail Road to Poonch was declared as National Project a decade back but it was latter derailed. Railway Line should be laid in such a manner that it connects holy shrines of Shiv Khori, Mangla Mata, Shahdrasharif, Budha Amernarhji, Sain Mera Ali, Sain Allah Bakash, and Nagali Sahib, besides the coal reserves, limestone and cocoon rich belts of Kalakote, Sunderbani and Mandi and sulfur water springs of Tatapani.
He said that the alignment of the rail link should also cover the Sunderbani and Nowshera towns and shrines of Shri Mangla Mata and Shri Raghunath Parachin Mandir Channiparat and the historical spot of Chingus on Mugal Road.
He further said that besides promoting pilgrim, adventure, and leisure tourism in the area, it would largely help in setting up cement plants of Metka-Soulki, Mandi-Poonch, Silk Factory at Sunderbani and re-commissioning of Thermal Power House Kalakote to suffice the electricity construction requirements of the people of the twin districts of Rajouri - Poonch, and Reasi.
He added that rail links would also facilitate the setting up of industries, the establishment of small and micro hydel power projects, and the generation of employment avenues for local youth. The cross LOC trade would also get a tremendous boost by bringing Poonch and Rajouri on the railway map of the country, he maintained.
Mr Sharma also demanded bringing Poonch, Reasi, and Rajouri districts on air map by developing airports at Rajouri, Reasi, and Poonch to provide most needed faster connectivity to these ignored areas.
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