CM acknowledges development of broader infra
Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, June 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has repeatedly been projecting demand for restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, once again reiterated the demand today but in a lighter vein and also pointed out his demotion from Chief Minister of a State to the Union Territory during past 11 years.
Addressing the gathering at the stadium here in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who flagged off first train to the Valley from holy town of Katra, the base camp of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Omar said it was a coincidence that four people present in today’s event were also there when Modi inaugurated Katra Railway Station soon after becoming the Prime Minister, in June 2014.
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“After that, you won the election twice in a row and remained the Prime Minister of this country. Your Minister of State in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, was also present… Even our respected Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who was the Union Minister of State for Railways at that time, was present.”
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“I, as the Chief Minister of a full-fledged State then, stand slightly demoted. I was the Chief Minister of a State. Now I am the Chief Minister of a Union Territory. But I believe that it will not take long for this to be corrected. And with your help, Jammu and Kashmir will again attain the status of a State,” Omar said projecting demand for restoration of Statehood to J&K.
Omar reflected on the significant passage of time since the project’s inception in early 1980s.
“I was an eighth grade student when this project was started. Today, I am 55 years old. My children have also completed college. Now this project has been completed,” he said, pointing at the decades-long journey of the railway link between Kashmir valley and the rest of the country.
He also underscored the historical significance of the railway link, noting that even the British envisioned connecting Kashmir by rail via Uri and Jhelum, but failed to realize the dream.
“But today, what the British could not fulfill, has been fulfilled by your hands. The Kashmir valley has been connected with other parts of the country,” Omar said, commending the Centre’s achievement.
Remembering former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Abdullah said, “I will be making a huge mistake if I do not thank (Atal Behari) Vajpayee on this occasion… This happened after he gave it the status of a project of national importance and made it a part of the budget.”
Omar also highlighted the immense benefits the railway project would bring to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Jammu and Kashmir will benefit a lot with this project. It will benefit from tourism. It will benefit the residents of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said and specifically mentioned the inflated airfares during highway closures.
“When the highway closes as soon as it rains, the airlines start looting us. A ticket for Rs 5,000 suddenly costs Rs 20,000 within hours. But with the completion of the rail link, at least the loot of the passengers will be reduced now.”
Omar further expressed hope that the railway line would also help facilitate the transportation of fruits like apples and cherries to markets across the country.
Acknowledging the development of broader infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre, Omar said, “With your auspicious hands, another infrastructure project has been completed in Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, many other projects are moving forward rapidly.”
He also cited the ongoing work on various projects in Jammu and Kashmir, including ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway, Jammu-Srinagar four-laning, and airport and railway network expansions.
Reaffirming his Government’s commitment to development, the Chief Minister reiterated his resolve to fulfill the vision of a prosperous region.
“Our Government remains committed to the vision of ‘Viksit Jammu Kashmir, Viksit Bharat’ — a developed Jammu & Kashmir, a developed India — and we are determined to realize this goal for the people of our region.”
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