Jammu: It is the dream of the nation to see the rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Monday said, asserting that the work on the prestigious project was going on at a fast pace and would be completed soon.
The minister was in Katra, the base camp for the yatris visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, where he attended a public outreach programme and laid the foundation for the construction of two new railway platforms and additional facilities.
Talking to reporters at the Katra railway station, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a very big vision for the railways – all the railway stations across the country are neat and clean, people get better facilities and the train chugs on time.
About the timeframe for completion of the Jammu-Baramulla rail link, Vaishnaw said this was the dream of the nation and the work on this project was going on at a fast pace for its completion.
“The work on various bridges and other linking area was going on at a fast pace so that the rail will start plying on the (Jammu-Baramulla) track soon,” he said. “I will return in one-and-a-half months’ time to review the progress on the work.”
The union minister said the government was working to provide world-class facilities to the commuters travelling by trains and appealed to people to consider the railway properties as their own.
“The railway is a national asset and my appeal to the people was to safeguard the railway property as their own and also not indulge in disruption of rail traffic. It is our property and this is our railway,” he said.