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| Poonch comes nearer to Srinagar by 360 Km | | Sheikh Abdullah’s ‘Greater Kashmir’ dream comes true with Omar’s Mughal Road driving | |
AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
SRINAGAR, Nov 26: National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s dream of creating road communication links between erstwhile Poonch district (Poonch-Rajouri) and Kashmir, as also between erstwhile Doda district (Doda, Kishtwar) and the Valley, came true after decades today when his grandson and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, drove all the way from Srinagar to Jammu through Mughal Road, linking Shopian township in south Kashmir to Bafliaz township in Jammu division. Chief Minister’s maiden driving on 84-Km long Mughal Road has brought Pooch and Rajouri district headquarters directly nearer to Srinagar by 360 Km and 160 Km respectively.
Chief Minister’s caravan comprised top functionaries of the state government including Minister for R&B, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Director General Police, Kuldeep Khoda, Commissioner/Secretary R&B, Mehboob Iqbal, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Naseem Lanker and Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Farooq Ahmed. Notwithstanding Omar Abdullah’s and Farooq Abdullah’s two public meetings at Paharis-dominated Karewa Manloo in the last two months, it was significantly Chief Minister’s first driving through Shopian township after the volcanic eruption over alleged rape-cum-murder of two young woman on May 29th this year.
Finding the once burning south Kashmir district headquarters indifferent to Omar’s passage, authorities seemed to have decided to put in place minimal security. There were no signs of resentment, protest or hostility when Chief Minister’s cavalcade passed through the main road which has the two ill-fated women’s house just 10 yards away.
Wending his caravan’s way through the battered forest compartments of Hirpora towards the historic highway spots of Dobjan and Nandansar, Omar showed little concern over wanton transformation of the forest land into potato fields. A little ahead, he appeared to be satisfied with the way Central Empowered Committee of Supreme Court of India had forced the authorities to deposit a sum of over Rs 10 Crore for proper protection and conservation of the habitat of the nearly extinct goat species, Markhor. At several briefings, Chief Minister has learned from Wild Life authorities how steps were underway for recovery of Markhor at Hirpora in Shopian and Limber Lachhipora in Uri.
Addressing a public gathering at Dobjan, Chief Minister said that it was the dream of his grandfather, Sheikh Abdullah, to re-link Poonch-Rajouri with Srinagar via Shopian through this historical route which was the most favourite of ordinary and royal commuters during Mughal period and thereafter. He said that the foundation stone had been, indeed, laid a couples of years before but work on Mughal Road was actually expedited during the regime of former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad. He said that Mr Azad had done a great service to his home state by arranging funds worth hundreds of Crores and making the project a reality.
Chief Minister said that He said that without the support of Central Government, this much maligned road communication project would never have taken off and become a reality. He expressed his personal gratitude to UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, who took keen interest and provided Rs 670 crore for completion of this road. He said today he deliberately came to have first drive on this road along with R&B Minister and other officers and media to ensure that this road was formally thrown open for common vehicular traffic in June next year. He said the road required further upgradation and final macadamization.
From Dubjan, Chief Minister along with Ministers and media in hundreds of vehicles proceeded towards historical Mughal Sarai. The Mughal Sarai, which was the way side shelter centuries earlier was existing with the same glory on the side of the Mughal road. He came down from his vehicle and stopped at Mughal Sarai alongwith the team and asked execution agencies to immediately form a project for development of this sarai.
From Mughal Sarai, the Chief Minister’s caravan proceeded straight to Peer de Gali where Omar stopped for half an hour and interacted with mediapersons. He said that landscape, snow all around and the mountains were the green devdar trees and every corner of the road was enchanting and full of beauty and glory which made this drive more memorable and fascinating for him.
Thereafter, Omar drove straight to Bafliaz, the off-take point of Mughal Road on the strategic Jammu-Raouri-Poonch Road. Hundreds of people waiting for the cavalcade included Ministers of State, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Aijaz Ahmad Khan besidses MLAs Choudhary Mohammad Aslam, Rachpal Singh and Aijaz Ahmad Jan. After addressing a gathering, Chief Minister drove all the way to Jammu through Rajouri.
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