Leaders in J&K celebrate as PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Jammu railway division

Jammu, Jan 6 (PTI) Leaders in Jammu and Kashmir celebrated on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Jammu railway division from New Delhi, paving the way for efficient management of train services in the northernmost part of the country.

With the establishment of the new railway division in Jammu, a long-standing demand of the region has been fulfilled ahead of the much-awaited inauguration of train services to Kashmir from Katra, the final trial run for which is scheduled for Tuesday.

“The new division will benefit not only Jammu and Kashmir, but also several cities in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. It will also provide convenience to the people of Leh-Ladakh. Today, Jammu and Kashmir is setting new records in rail infrastructure,” Modi said after launching a slew of railway projects.

At a simultaneous event organised to mark the occasion in Jammu, J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were seen together on an official platform for the first time after the latter took oath as the chief minister, along with Jammu MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and Union minister Jitendra Singh.

Crediting Modi for fulfilling a long-pending demand, Sinha said, “Under the prime minister’s leadership, the aspirations of the people are being fulfilled within a timeframe. It is because of this policy that India has progressed in all sectors under the prime minister’s command.”

“Today, another golden chapter has been added to the Northern Railways as Jammu becomes its sixth division. With this, J-K will achieve new heights in development. The dream of connecting Kashmir with Kanyakumari by rail will be fulfilled soon,” Sinha said.

Union minister and Udhampur MP Jitendra Singh also credited the prime minister for the excellent rail and road netwoks in J-K.

“Today, a long-pending demand has been fulfilled by the prime minister. We are indebted to him for this new year gift,” Singh said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Chief Minister Abdullah said, “I congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the core of my heart on this occasion. I also want to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for fulfilling this long-pending demand.”

Headquartered in Jammu, the new division will involve the reorganisation of the Firozpur division in Punjab, which presently manages railway services in J-K.

The sections under its jurisdiction include Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (423 km), Bhogpur-Sirwal-Pathankot (87.21 km), Batala (excluding)-Pathankot (68.17 km), and Pathankot-Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge, 163.72 km).

The new division will oversee operations on some iconic rail projects, including the country’s first cable-stayed rail bridge, Anji Khad, and the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab river at Kauri in Reasi district.

The Jammu division will also manage the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, which is now nearing completion.

Regarding the inauguration of train services from Delhi to Kashmir, the commissioner of railway safety will conduct statutory inspections and final trials on January 7 and 8.

With the inauguration of the Jammu division, the Indian Railways now has 70 divisions under 17 zones.