JAMMU, FEB 03 (KNS): National Conference (NC) Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq on Tuesday credited Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with spearheading efforts that led the Centre to halt a major railway expansion project in south Kashmir to protect apple orchards.

 

National Conference Spokesperson told News Agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) on the sidelines of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly's budget session that the intervention prevented "massive losses" to the livelihoods of orchardists in Anantnag, Shopian, and Kakpora areas.

 

MLA Tanvir revealed that the decision followed high-level engagements initiated by Omar Abdullah.

 

"This is a very auspicious occasion for the people, especially of Anantnag, Shopian, and Kakpora," Sadiq said. "On the personal intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, our MPs met the Railway Minister. The project has now been kept on hold as it would have caused massive losses to apple orchards, amounting to lakhs, and had a severe economic impact.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel"

 

The remarks come after the Railway Ministry officially announced the suspension of the railway line expansion in the Kashmir Valley, emphasizing the need for comprehensive stakeholder consultations and rigorous environmental safeguards before proceeding. 

 

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti stated that the decision to put the Pahalgam and Shopian railway lines on hold brings much-needed relief to Kashmir’s agrarian economy.

 

In a post on X, she said, "These projects threatened to destroy scarce fertile land and push over a million rural families into uncertainty. Development that uproots farmers is not progress. Any future plans must be reviewed transparently, with farmers and local communities taken on board, to protect Kashmir’s economy and social fabric." (KNS)