Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 6: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appealed for increasing the frequency of trains in Kashmir and expanding the facilities to North Kashmir and Pir Panchal, Chenab Valley regions.
In a meeting with the Railway Minister, DV Sadananda Gowda, here today, PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti and the senior leader, Muzzafar Hussain Baig, MP from Baramulla, also asked the Railway Minister to speed up work on the Udhampur-Banihal sector to make the State a part of the national railway network.
Mehbooba and Baig called on the Railway Minister, D Sadanada Gowda and urged him to pay greater attention to take forward the railway connectivity in the State, so that it will be able to overcome the difficulties the increasing population is facing in view of the topographical and climatic constraints and land crunch, that has put severe restrictions on expansion of roads.
They asked the Railway Minister to increase the frequency of trains on the Banihal-Baramulla line as the existing facility is unable to cater to the rush of passengers.
They informed the Minister that at present the trains are heavily overloaded which result in commuter complaints, traffic disruption and even law and order problems. Gowda was urged to increase the number of bogies in the existing trains apart from increasing their frequency.
PDP also stressed the need for increasing stops for the trains which would need establishment of new railway stations.
The Minister assured the PDP leaders that the project for extending Kashmir railway to Kupwara would be considered and the concerned officials would co-ordinate with Muzzafar Hussain Baig.
Expressing disappointment over shelving of rail project for Pir Panchal region, PDP leaders urged the Minister to revive it in view of acute need for providing modern transportation facilities to the people of this area. They also urged the Minister to extend the rail facility to Chenab Valley.
Meanwhile, PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti today urged the speaker of the Lok Sabha (LS), Sumitra Mahajan, to provide adequate space to the representatives from J&K to connect with the Parliament and rest of the country with their accumulated problems.
Referring to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s, remarks that he would follow the Vajpayee line in dealing with J&K, Mehbooba said the strong mandate that he has received in the LS elections should hopefully help his Government in adopting a bold approach to the problems of J&K.
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