Jammu: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Monday, hailed the inauguration of a new chapter in Indian Railways in the Jammu division, calling it a historic milestone that will significantly benefit the rural heartlands of Kashmir and contribute to the broader development of the region.
Speaking at the event in Jammu, Dr Singh emphasised the importance of the moment. “Today is a historic day for Jammu and Kashmir, and for the history of Indian Railways. You must remember that the railway first arrived in J&K in 1972. It seems like destiny that it took over 50 years, but under the leadership of PM Modi, this dream, once considered impossible, has now become a reality.”
Dr Singh further highlighted the rapid development of railway infrastructure under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
“In the last 10 years, rail infrastructure development has accelerated, with around 61,000 kilometres of railway tracks electrified across India. Parts of India, like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, had never seen trains before. But now, under PM Modi’s leadership, there are no areas in India without a double train track.”
He also mentioned the introduction of the Vande Bharat trains in Jammu, saying, “The first Vande Bharat train ran from Varanasi to Delhi, and now we have two Vande Bharat trains operating between Katra and Jammu.”
Dr Singh also celebrated the renaming of Udhampur railway station to “Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan Railway Station” in honour of the martyred soldier.
“For the first time in the history of India, we have named a railway station in the name of a martyr. This is a big thing for all of us. However, it was a long-standing demand by traders, businessmen, and the tourism sector for a separate rail division in Jammu. Credit goes to PM Modi for fulfilling this demand. The focus on rail and road connectivity development is remarkable,” he added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the newly established Jammu railway division via virtual mode on Monday, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the region’s people. This move is expected to pave the way for efficient management of train services in the northernmost part of India.
The inauguration precedes the highly anticipated launch of train services to Kashmir from Katra, with the final trial run set for Tuesday. The event in Jammu was attended by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma.
The newly created Jammu division will be headquartered in Jammu and will oversee a reorganisation of the Firozpur Division. The new division’s jurisdiction includes several key sections, including Pathankot-Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (423 route km), Bhogpur-Sirwal-Pathankot (87.21 route km), Batala-Pathankot (68.17 route km), and Pathankot-Joginder Nagar (narrow gauge section, 163.72 route km), totalling 742.1 kilometres.
Currently, Indian Railways operates 17 zones and 68 divisions across the country.
(IANS)
