Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit J&K on February 20 to address a public rally in Jammu and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of many developmental projects.
In addition to addressing a large public rally in Jammu, PM Modi will inaugurate a series of developmental projects, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Vijaypur in Samba, the highest Railway bridge, which will link Kashmir with the rest of the country by this year, in Reasi district, Devika Rejuvenation project at Udhampur, IIM Jammu and Shahpur Kandi.
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of various other development works in Jammu and Kashmir.
A number of other projects have also been identified for inauguration while Modi will also lay foundation stone of various other development works in Jammu and Kashmir.
Inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of projects is expected to be done from one place.
While train to the Valley will take few more months but there is a proposal to run train beyond Banihal i.e. up to Khari where nearly 40 kilometres track is almost ready and security inspection has been completed.
This will bring Kashmir much closer by rail but linking Valley with rest of the country by train is expected to take few more months. Earlier, the project was expected to be completed by March but the deadline has now been revised to May. However, as per the sources, the train which presently runs between Banihal and Baramulla can easily be extended up to Khari i.e. a distance of another 40 kilometres which will further reduce the gap between Kashmir and Jammu by rail.
The projects to be inaugurated or whose foundation stone will be laid by the Prime Minister run into thousands of crores, they said.
The visit of the Prime Minister is expected to boost BJP’s prospects in J&K ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

KR Desk