CM Omar Abdullah takes ride on newly launched Vande Bharat train in J&K

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Srinagar, June 19 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday boarded the Vande Bharat train at Srinagar to reach Katra in Reasi district.

Posting videos and pictures from the moving train, the CM said on X, “Time to head to Jammu”.

Last week, his father and former chief minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, travelled on the Vande Bharat train from Srinagar to Katra and back.

Dr Farooq Abdullah stayed for the night at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, where he joined prayers during the night and in the morning before heading back to Srinagar.

The Vande Bharat train takes three hours to reach Srinagar from Katra. In September this year, after work at the Jammu railway station is completed, the Vande Bharat train will run between Jammu and Srinagar.

The train service was inaugurated on June 6 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The rail link from Katra to Srinagar has the world’s highest railway bridge on the Chenab River, which is 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower of Paris.

The rail link has the Anji cable-stayed bridge, which is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge. The state-of-the-art Vande Bharat train has been specially built to suit the extreme weather and topography of the Himalayan region.

Vande Bharat Express trains offer a range of modern amenities and enhanced safety features for a comfortable travel experience. These include automatic doors, reclining and revolving seats (in executive class), mobile charging sockets, a mini pantry with hot and cold food options, and improved lighting.

Safety features include CCTV cameras, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and a KAVACH system for collision avoidance.

The train to Kashmir has been an over 70-year-old dream project that has finally become a reality. It will boost tourism, horticulture, education, trade and also the travelling conveyance for the common man.

The train service also addresses the uncertainty about the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. The highway often gets closed due to landslides/mudslides and shooting stones, resulting in shortages of essentials of life in the landlocked Valley.

–IANS

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In a letter to the Prime Minister, Tagore highlighted that the project, approved in 2011-12, was designed to improve transport connectivity in Tamil Nadu, particularly in underserved regions such as Virudhunagar, Aruppukottai, and Thoothukudi.

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This progress, he emphasised, demonstrates the project’s potential to enhance regional connectivity.

Tagore stated that the Tamil Nadu government is fully prepared to support the project through land acquisition. However, he expressed concern that the Ministry of Railways has not released salaries for 350 sanctioned special posts over the past 12 months. He also mentioned reports indicating that the Ministry is considering disbanding these posts, which are crucial for the project’s completion.

He pointed out that on March 21, 2023, proposals for field surveys and administrative approval for land acquisition were received from the Aruppukottai Revenue Commissioner. These proposals were subsequently forwarded to the government by the Commissioner of Land Administration in Chennai for approval.

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Tagore criticised a recent statement by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, attributing delays to the Tamil Nadu government, noting that this project has always been a Central government initiative. He asserted that the Tamil Nadu government has consistently supported the project through proactive measures such as land acquisition and persistent efforts to secure funding from the central government.

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Tagore called on the Prime Minister to intervene and direct the Ministry of Railways to reconsider its decision to scrap the project. He urged the government to explore alternative solutions to address the challenges and ensure the project’s timely completion. He emphasised that completing the project as planned would prevent further wastage of public resources and benefit the people of Tamil Nadu.

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“Nothing could be farther from the truth. The President was not tired at any point. Indeed, she believes that speaking up for marginalized communities, women, and farmers, as she was doing in her address, can never be tiring,” the statement read.

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Nitish Kumar in Sitamarhi and Sheohar today on third day of Pragati Yatra

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