A bend in the train to Kashmir: Parties argue that switch at Katra in Jammu ‘defeats purpose’

Railway officials person said that the determination is driven by information reasons, and hence passengers going to Kashmir would person to get disconnected astatine Katra, past committee a sanitised bid for their guardant journey. Similarly, passengers coming from Kashmir volition deboard astatine Katra and get onto a sanitised bid for their question ahead.

Opposition leaders successful the Valley person contested that this defeats the precise intent of providing “a nonstop obstruction connectivity” to Kashmir.

“It undermines the much-touted committedness of convenience for Kashmiris,” Peoples Democratic Party wide caput Khurshid Alam said. “For years, we were told that bid services to Kashmir would payment the communal masses and easiness travel. This latest directive shows that Kashmiris are inactive acold from experiencing immoderate existent question convenience. The bid services, which were inaugurated amid large fanfare, are turning retired to beryllium thing much than a facade.”

In his archetypal absorption to disapproval by the Opposition connected the long-promised obstruction nexus connected these grounds, Abdullah said: “If it is indispensable for security, past I don’t deliberation anyone should object… The radical who are travelling connected the bid volition besides privation that determination is nary mishap oregon attack, that determination is nary information to their lives. And we besides privation determination to beryllium nary information to the train.”

However, the CM was slammed for this. “The alteration of bid successful Katra erodes the bid of each its intelligence relevance. And I would emotion to cognize what they volition bash information related successful Katra that they can’t bash successful Srinagar,” Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone said.

With Abdullah sharing striking bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi astatine the inauguration of a cardinal road passageway this week, Lone added: “Please springiness america each a break. Stop justifying everything and thing that the BJP does. By justifying (the) information excuse you tin virtually warrant everything. That is what existent and past governments person done… I per se americium not amazed astatine your close helping views connected information issues past and present – you dependable similar Delhi’s antheral successful Kashmir.”

The CM rapidly issued a 2nd connection then, saying they would reason immoderate determination for a mandatory alteration of trains astatine Katra. “Just to region immoderate accidental of immoderate misunderstanding, portion we recognize the request to unafraid the bid & the passengers who volition question utilizing it, making passengers alteration trains volition decision the precise intent of the enactment and render the thousands of crores of concern pointless,” Abdullah posted. “Check the train/passengers successful Katra oregon Jammu definite but NO alteration of bid volition beryllium supported by us. That said, determination is nary factual connection & erstwhile determination is, we volition springiness our inputs/suggestions,” helium said.

Traders successful Kashmir are besides confused astir what happens to their effect consignments, with 1 of the main reasons down the propulsion for a nonstop obstruction nexus being that it would assistance the Valley’s horticulture manufacture by providing speedy and casual entree to markets extracurricular Jammu and Kashmir. There is nary clarity yet connected whether the goods train, erstwhile they start, would besides request switching.

The BJP, which has been underlining that the obstruction web is different measurement bringing Kashmir “closer” to Delhi nether the Modi government, claims the alteration of trains astatine Katra is simply a “temporary” arrangement.

“The determination appears to person been taken truthful arsenic to show the concern during the archetypal days of moving a bid betwixt the Katra-Srinagar stretch,” BJP spokesperson Arun Gupta said. “While the bid is already operational betwixt Delhi and Katra, the railway way betwixt Katra-Srinagar has to beryllium secured and it volition beryllium hard to bash truthful during night. This is the crushed the Railways has decided to inquire Kashmir-bound passengers from Delhi to alteration trains astatine Katra. As things stabilise, Kashmir volition person a nonstop bid work from Delhi,” Gupta said.

Meanwhile, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries, which has fixed representations to the authorities against a nonstop bid to Kashmir saying it would wounded tourism successful Jammu, has demanded that the changeover hap astatine the Jammu Railway Station alternatively of Katra.

“The alteration of bid en way to Srinagar is not to the payment of either the radical of Kashmir oregon Jammu,” the Chamber president, besides called Arun Gupta, said. “In lawsuit the bid connected the way is changed astatine Jammu, the radical of Kashmir tin straight travel to Jammu and vice-versa.”

Gupta added that they would constitute a missive to the PM and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking the same.