Budgam: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for including three railway stations of Jammu and Kashmir while launching the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and laying foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that the PM launched the Rs 24,470 crore scheme through video conferencing and the LG attended the ceremony at an event at Budgam Railway Station.
In his address, the LG thanked the PM for including three railway stations of J&K – Jammu Tawi, Udhampur, and Budgam under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
He said that the redevelopment of railway stations in J&K would give a huge boost to connectivity and ease of travel for passengers.
“I believe railway connectivity is the lifeline of a society. A railway line not only strengthens connectivity with different regions but it also brings economic prosperity and transforms standard of living and creates a new destiny for the concerned region,” Sinha said.
He highlighted the ongoing railway projects and the overall transformation taking place in the railway sector.
“Under the guidance of PM Modi, we are witnessing rail projects of unprecedented magnitude in J&K,” he said. “Kashmir will be connected to Kanyakumari by the end of this financial year. It will connect Kashmir with all important commercial centres of the country.”
The LG said that the Railway Board had sanctioned five Final Location Survey works in Kashmir that include doubling of Baramulla-Banihal railway line, New Baramulla-Uri, Awantipora-Shopian, Sopore-Kupwara, and Anantnag-Bijbehara-Pahalgam rail line.
He said that once approved, the new networks would boost rail connectivity in Kashmir.
Sinha also shared the reforms introduced by the J&K administration to strengthen the air and road connectivity catering to the growing aspirations of the people.
District Development Council (DDC) Budgam Chairman, Nazir Ahmad Khan; ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Bidhuri; Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam, Akshay Labroo; and Principal Chief Engineer Northern Railways, Vijay Pratap Singh were also present on the occasion.
