Our politicians have no qualms of conscience in becoming components of a nexus that aims at grabbing properties belonging to the State and converting these into private commercial enterprises. The Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) is facing heavy pressure from politico-businessmen-bureaucrats nexus that intends to grab prestigious commercial land on Maulana Azad Road Srinagar measuring around 34 kanals. An influential politician is reported to be planning and working hard to grab the land on auction on throw away price. Its value according to present market rate is in hundreds of crores. The influential politician is trying to get the land leased to a wealthy businessman and then construct two hotels on the land, of five star and the other of three star rank. The politician himself is said to be interested in having a share in the hotel business.
The Government should immediately intervene in the matter and ensure that no pressure is exerted on the SDA by any political personality howsoever big and powerful. The land in question is situated commercially at a strategic place and no haphazard decision has to be taken as to its proper disposal. It seems that the idea of using this land for raising Convention Complex was very sensible because the city has not any such centre within the precincts of the main city of Srinagar. We need a convention centre within the city because now our State’s exposure in all branches like business, administration, tourism, social and cultural activities etc. have increased manifold and day in and day out we have visitors, distinguished guests and VIPs coming and going on business. We need a modern style convention complex where all prestigious meetings, conferences, seminars and lectures etc can be held. The Government should take due cognizance of the views of SDA on the issue.
New nexus of land grabbers
Omar highlights importance of railway in J&K
Mentions Vajpayee, Singh role in realizing cherished dream of rail in Kashmir
Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday underlined the importance of railway in a State like Jammu and Kashmir and highlighted the need of early completion of unconnected stretches of Jammu-Baramulla Railway track adding that economic linkage of Jammu and Kashmir will get comprehensive boost by this initiative.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion of inauguration of Katra Railway Station here by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister also underscored the need for linking Poonch-Rajouri, Doda-Kishtwar in Jammu Division with the railways and extension of railway tracks in Kashmir Valley to various places particularly Tangmarg, Pahalgam and other tourist resorts.
The Chief Minister said that rail in Kashmir was a dream and referred the significant contribution made by Attal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh in realizing this cherished desire of the people. He said that economic linkage in Jammu and Kashmir and with the rest of Country is largely dependent on railway. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating the railway track from Udhampur to Katra and expressed the hope that the demand of the State for the extension of railway link to various areas would be accommodated for the larger economic and developmental interests of the State.
Omar Abdullah also sought Prime Minister’s intervention in the upgradation and improvement of Jammu Railway Station besides the implementation of various tourist attraction and beautification projects formulated and conceived by the Jammu and Kashmir State to make Jammu and Srinagar cities model cities in the Country.
Present on the occasion among others were Jammu and Kashmir Governor, N. N. Vohra, Union Railway Minister, D. V. Sadananda Gowda and Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr. Jatendra Singh.
Another batch of devotees leave for Amarnath shrine
JAMMU : Amid tight security, a fresh batch of 2,234 pilgrims today left for the Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas from the base camp here.
The batch, including 1,538 men, 447 women and 48 children, left in a convoy of 66 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp here at 4:20 AM, police said.
The convoy has already crossed Udhampur district and the pilgrims would reach their respective destinations at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps by the evening.
As many as 12,103 pilgrims have so far left Jammu for their onward journey to the cave shrine of Amarnath. (AGENCIES)
PM flags off first train from Katra rly station
JAMMU : Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off Katra-Udhampur train, the first train from Katra railway station, facilitating pilgrims to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, located in the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Railways Minister D V Sadananda Gowda. The train will traverse through seven tunnels and over 30 small and large bridges.
The 25-km-long Udhampur-Katra line has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,132.75 crore. The trains will be able to reach Katra directly as the 53-km Jammu-Udhampur rail line is already operational and now the Udhampur-Katra line, which is a part of the Kashmir rail link project, is being commissioned. This would enable pilgrims headed to the Vaishno Devi shrine to travel directly to the base camp at Katra.
The Katra station is equipped with modern facilities, including tourist guide counter, cloak room, waiting hall, VIP lounge, escalators and lifts and parking spaces.
(AGENCIES)
Yatra suspended from Baltal, going on from Pahalgam
SRINAGAR : Amarnath yatra from shortest Baltal route has been suspended due slippery track conditions following heavy rains since last evening while pilgrimage was going on smoothly from traditional Pahalgam route. Yatra officials said pilgrimage from Baltal to holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas was suspended due to heavy rain.
The track has become very slippery and it was still raining even today, officials said, adding that no yatri was allowed from the base camp this morning. It was a precautionary measure to avoid any accident, they said, adding that decision to allow the pilgrims will be taken once the weather improves.
However, pilgrimage from traditional Pahalgam track was going on smoothly, officials said, adding that large number of pilgrims left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp early this morning for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on the route.
Similarly, pilgrims, who had night halt at different halting station on the 42-km-long track, also started their journey towards the cave shrine this morning. More than 70,000 pilgrims had darshan of the self-made ice-shivlingam in the cave shrine since the commencement of the two-month-long pilgrimage from June 28. (AGENCIES)
Militants fire at police picket outside school
SRINAGAR : Militants fired upon a police picket guarding a Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya (JNV) in Shopian district of Kashmir but caused no casualties or damage, police said today.
The ultras opened fire toward the positions of police personnel at around 10.00 PM last night at the school located at Aglar in Shopian, a police official said.
He said the cops retaliated the firing, forcing the militants to flee.
No one was hurt in the brief exchange of fire between the two sides, he added. (AGENCIES)
NEWSALERT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off inaugural train
from Katra in Jammu, the base camp for Vaishno Devi shrine.(PTI)
Magnitude 5.0 earthquake strikes J&K
New Delhi: A moderate intensity 5.0 earthquake struck
Jammu and Kashmir at 0210hrs. Located 10km deep, the epicentre
was at 35.6 degree North and 75.2 degree East (Agencies)