What else can Kashmiris expect from Indian Railways?
Dream fulfilling, an excursion and more over easy and cheap travel.
“This development has left Kashmiris so thrilled that week long reservations were made on the first day” says Afaq Gadda , a media professional in Kashmir.
Students to businessmen to elders each and every one is enjoying this joyous roller coaster ride.
Train in Kashmir has made dream come true for those, who had never seen train till now and never thought this dream to be fulfilled in their life time.
“Stations are beautifully made and one can see pulsating mood in and around stations” says 35 year old businessman from valley, Wahid Geelani, who resides near Nowagam, Srinagar station.
Famous wood carving of Kashmir is what these stations have been designed on.
8 coach DEMU, train that ply’s on 66 Kms from Anantnag to Budgam via Srinagar is designed keeping the cold climatic constraints of valley in mind.
Equipped with heaters and snow defrost systems this train covers beautiful scenery of the valley.
“Train has saved time as well as money. Those who used to pay Rs. 60 for taxi or Rs. 40 for bus have to pay only Rs. 6 while traveling to Anantnag from Srinagar and that too when train can make you reach much faster” adds Wahid Geelani.
It’s also an excursion for Kashmiris. They are so much excited that mostly train remains over crowded and few even travel while sitting on the top of it.
This gift is proving beneficial especially for students who reside at distant places.
“Students from Anantnag and Budgam have vacated their rented places in Srinagar as they travel back daily” says 25 years old, Faheem Pandit, who works as senior supervisor constructions with railways in Kashmir.
Speaking about his working experience with railway officials, Faheem adds “it’s been a great working experience and railway officials are too supportive”.
Commenting from security point of view Faheem further adds that “each coach should have a police personal, and security should be briefed up in stations also”
Opening up of new job opportunities by starting railways, has left people more smiling. Land rates have increased more than 50% since railways started its construction and are expected to increase more.
But story does not end happily altogether. Blaming Kashmiri mainstream politicians, ex- project director, Kashmir train services, Abdul Ahmed Khandey says “they should show more interest in this project. This project is not only a railway project but a national project as declared by former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee in 2002”.
Khandey adds that there should be a monitoring cell by state government which will check time to time development of rail services in valley.
This biggest railway project has still to achieve its aim i.e. connectivity with rest of India.
Phase 2 and phase 3 work is still pending that will connect Anantnag – Baramullah and Anantnag – Katra respectively.
Further adding, Khandey says “this project will be fruitful only when railway line is connected to Jammu. It will be a boon for businessmen and also traffic conjunction of highway will be at ease”.
Although Kashmiris feel traveling between Anantnag and Budgam will be easy especially during winters when Kashmir sleeps under white blanket but they now wish work on remaining phases to complete soon.
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