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| Alternate routes would benefit the Backward areas of Jammu Region & National Security | | | Daya Sagar | 3/14/2011 10:36:04 PM |
| Udhampur Katra rail line was to be completed in 2005. But completion is not being seen even before 2013. Prime Minister was at Jammu on 4 March , people of the distant & backward areas of J&K and Udhampur Katra rail link still did not find any particular reference in his addresses too. J&K Budget 2011-12 too did not find that particular proposals or demands on center to make good the pace that had been lost over the decades. No doubt Mr. Abdul Rahim Rather has shown his concern for the development of backward areas and claims to have earmarked for the first time Rs 100 crore in the budget 2011- 12 to meet the requirements of neglected and bad pockets of the State. But is it enough ?
Even Mughal road has been more used just for political gimmicks. It is not through for public transport even in 2011. Earlier State Government had almost stopped the construction work mid way on the project that had been started as back as in 1979/1980.The Mughal Road of 1947 ( a fair weather road / bridal path constructed by Mughal Jahangir for moving his Darbar from Lahore to Srinagar in summers through Haji Peer ) , should have been developed long back into a very good route via Bufliaz through to Shopian in Anantnag District It would have provided shortest route connecting Rajouri & Poonch with Kashmir. Additional advantage would have resulted from visiting tourists from outside J&K to these backward but scenic beauty rich areas that additionally have much scope for adventure tourism as well. Defence authorities had taken up the work of a motorable road in hand upto Hill Kala from Bufliaz in 2004 to ease self movements.. Bafliaz to Shopian is less than 90 Kilometers and this road should not take much time in modern times. .The road project passing through passes of above 10000 ft on Pir Panjal ranges should have been instead provided with provision of tunnels so that future road remains open during winters. Such proposals have been talked in political rallies but not implemented. These days even tens of kilometers of tunnel could be constructed with out much difficulty and cost should not matter much here when we are spending a few hundred crores in cities like Delhi for one flyover. Asia’s largest under ground tunnel ( 2809.16 meter long, 10.50 meter wide and 7.3 meter high ) was constructed from 2000 to 2004 for Larji Hydro Project in Himachal Pradesh ( Mandi District).
.It may be a news for some that even a project like Salal Hydro Electric project had already been conceived by Maharaja Hari Singh. But not much has been done in J&K after 1947, particularly in remote and poor BACKWARD areas of Jammu province. Surely governments like that of Mufti Mohd Sayeed could not be blamed for the absence of needed communication infrastructure that was so surprisingly found so badly missing during February 2005 snow carnage ( particularly in the areas of Doda, Poonch, Udhampur etc ). No doubt Government of India has over the years spent thousands of crores of rupees in J&K. But this money appears to have been spent only to cover the mishandling of the J&K affairs. Discontentment amongst the people of J&K has grown over the years. Socio Political Confusions too have grown over the years. Discontentment have been handled more by encouraging the State Governments making demands for grants & assistance from New Delhi. No real benefit has gone to the common people of J&K proportionate to the financial assistances extended over the years.
Had the road network ( lines for some had already been drawn on the ground even in pre 1947 days } been created as a first priority over last 60 years through the districts of Jammu Province leading to Kashmir/ Leh/ Chamba ( HP) this would have improved employment opportunities and overall economy of particularly of Doda, Rajouri & Udhampur zones. Doda / Rajouri / Udhampur have also been the sub regions more affected by the militancy. Had the infrastructural development been attended truthfully in these areas the anti India forces and militants would have faced strong resistance in these remote areas .
Even Governments of Maharajas of J&K with limited financial resources and primitive technologies available could lay / construct so many links (a) The Banihal Cart road (BC Road) was constructed by the Maharajas and it is only the Banihal Tunnel that has been added in last six decades by India. (b) Jehlum Valley Road (132 miles connecting Srinagar with Kohala). (c) link with Rawapindi via Uri ( then in Muzaffarabad and now in Indian Kashmir) (d) Poonch was well linked with Uri/ Baramullah/ Valley. (e)Route to Ladakh via Kishtwar- Paddar- Zanskar ( route followed by General Zorawar Singh in 1936/ 1941. ( f) Bhadarwah linked with Chamba in Himachal by road and Bhaderwah was / is known as miniature Kashmir ( g) One bridle road connected Srinagar with Leh via Yojila pass and a pacca road to Gilgit . ( h ) Bandipur- Galgit road was running over Burzila pass and was 193 miles long. It was a bridle road in 1941 and State Government maintained 165 miles and rest the Indian Government . It is worth mentioning here that by August 1948 Pakistanis had occupied the most of the northern part of the State including part of Ladakh, and Burzila & Yojila passes were under their control. As the winter advanced, General Thimayya planned an offensive action and light tanks were carried to Srinagar and from there to Yojila pass at a height of 11000 ft. By the end of the year Indian troops were in complete control of Yojila pass because of same road .
No doubt .J&K has no much capacity to invest in investigations and construction of remote area surface communication infrastructure. Had the road lines passing through different districts of Jammu Province and leading to Kashmir / Leh been taken up as first priority, it would have provided immediate employment to the local poorest of the poor, promoted tourism ,promoted local industry, local pulses, spices, handicrafts and contributed a lot to the over all income of J&K.
No doubt the financial position and internal resource generation of J&K is very miserable. Even those who are throwing challenges on Delhi in the name of Autonomy or Self Rule need to explain to common man how would they survive under the circumstances. State is not able meet the expenditure even on the salaries of government employees. Many employees of Government Companies have died even without getting their retirement benefits. J&K Budget 2005-2006 presented ( 7 March ) by Muzaffar Hussain Baig showed that the 28 paise of each rupee spent went for the salaries / pension of the government employees where as the income from tax and non tax revenue was able to meet only 18 paisa out of the expenditure on salaries. The cost of 2005-06 annual plan of INR 4200 was taken by GOI. J&K Budget for 2011-12 reflects still bad position.. Out of the total budgeted expenditure of INR 32,212 Cr salary / DA of Government employee / Pensions of pensioners are to cost INR 14011 Cr ( over 40 paisa of each rupee spent ) .The tax revenue is pegged at only 41 83 Cr ( just 13 paisa of each rupee spent ).So under the circumstances INR 6600 Cr plan in 2011-12 too would be finance by Center only.
Centre ( Delhi ) could argue that planning and creating local infrastructure is the responsibility of State Government. But New Delhi can not deny that the superior civil servants in J&K are from GOI since Indian Administrative Services and other Central Government Services hold the superior and decision making positions as regards the planning , conduct and management of local affairs. So any short fall at as regards assessment and planning of priorities has to be owned by New Delhi. So shortfall in infrastructural development in the distant backward areas of J&K has to be owned by GOI. Rather additional funds need be pumped in to compensate for the 6 decade neglect.
It has been opined by many that alternate Pathankot Anantnag existing route ( road) via Basoli, Bhaderwah, Doda, Kishtwar would be economically cheaper alternate route and would also improve the socio economic security of the people of backward areas. M. H Baig had proposed for development of a tourist circuit from Lakhanpur to Simthan via Basoli, Bani, Bhaderwah , and Kishtwar. But only Rs. 8 Crore had been kept in 2005-2006 budget for development of this circuit. It was a funny allocation but even this was not taken up that seriously. Not much has been done in 2011 Budget as well.
J&K lies enroute to Gilgit ( POK) army base where the Chinese and Russian empires meet .Afghanistan too touches its boundaries. Silk road that now links Pakistan with China passes through Gilgit & is connected now by good road with Askardu. And hence the territorial interests of India as regards security do rest in the approach areas ( that lie in Jammu Region ) to Kashmir valley & Ladakh . Why not to attend now ?( * Daya Sagar is a Sr coloumnist of Kashmir affairs and a social activist [email protected] 9419796096)
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