The Hindu : National : Lalu pledges Railway Ministry support to J&K development

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Lalu pledges Railway Ministry support to J&K development

Luv Puri

JAMMU: The Union Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, has pledged full support to the development of Jammu and Kashmir adding that the State was an integral part of the country and it was everybody’s responsibility to ensure its full development.

Mr. Prasad was speaking at a well-attended function here on Sunday to flag off the pocket friendly fully air-conditioned Jammu Tawi-Kathgodam Garib Rath Express and lay the foundation stone for electrification of Jammu Tawi-Suchi Pind section on Jammu-Jalandhar railway line. Jammu Tawi-Kathgodam Garib Rath Express offers an opportunity for poor people to travel by fully air-conditioned train with the speed of the Rajdhani Express. Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand would be benefited by the Garib Rath Express which would promote flow of tourists to these States. The Railway Minister said that three major rail projects, including the prestigious Rs. 11,270-crore Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line, were underway in Jammu & Kashmir, totally costing Rs. 12,346 crore. The other two projects were double lining of the Jammu-Jalandhar section and electrification of Jammu-Suchi Pind railway line.

He said Rs. 1,100 crore have been earmarked during the current year for these projects. Mr. Prasad said that for speedy completion, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line has been declared a national project. when completed, the project would have many firsts including the longest 10-km tunnel in the country through the Pir Panjal mountain and the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab.

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