The railway is a pillar of connectivity in India, where most of the population lives below the poverty line. The main means of transport used by the people in India is the railway platform because of its low fare and availability. Kashmir and Jammu are also connected to the Indian railways, although some work is going on to connect it to all of India. Still, railways are used as a means of transport by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to move across the boundaries of the state, like from Baramulla to Banihal, etc. The railway provides an alternative route between Jammu and Kashmir when National Highway-44 is closed due to landslides.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Banihal-Sangaldan section, connecting Baramulla in North Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu. The inaugural also marked the flagging off of Jammu and Kashmir’s first electric train from Sangaldan to Srinagar and Baramulla. Over 90% of the 48-km railway line between Banihal and Sangaldan passes through tunnels in the mountainous Ramban district, including the country’s longest 12.77-km tunnel (T-50), with 16 bridges. Three escape tunnels totalling 30.1 km ensure passenger safety during emergencies. To extend the railway connectivity, it was also decided to sanction more railway lines to Jammu and Kashmir in various locations.
Rail service for and railways decided to sanction a total of 5 projects to Kashmir valley, they are the New Railway lines Awantipora-Shopian (27.6 kilometres). Final survey of 5 rail lines ordered in J&K all in Kashmir Division. The lines include doubling Baramulla-Banihal section (135.5 kilometres), Baramulla-Uri (50 KM) Sopore-Kupwara (33.7 KM, Awantipora-Shopian (27.6 KM), Anantnag-Bijbehara-Pahalgam (77.5 KM). These projects, although may timely benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but the projects have become a headache for the thousands of farmers who have worked hard for years to develop their agricultural land or develop it for the horticultural sector. Mostly in South Kashmir apple orchards will get affected.
Residents who rely on orchards for their livelihood express concerns about the railway line route cutting through thousands of orchards. People living in this surveyed location have expressed their concern and said that no one has sought to bring the railway line here even though no political representative has demanded a railway line for the said routes.
Kashmir Valley nestled in the Himalayas boasts rich varieties of fruits including apples, plums, nuts, and grapes. It covers most of the geographic areas for horticulture cultivation in South Asia. Exports. The orchards of the Himalayan region export two million tonnes annually which is approximately 120 billion rupees in revenue this revenue impacts directly the lively hoods of the orchardists who will be affected by the construction of the new railway line Constant Challenges Plague Kashmir’s Apple Industry Kashmir’s apple industry has faced mounting losses in recent years. In 2019, a regional lockdown and early snowfall due to climate change hampered harvests. During the COVID-19 pandemic, transportation delays exceeding 48 hours caused apples to rot. The few that survived the journey fetched significantly lower prices, with some selling for as low as 350 rupees, while production costs exceeded 400 rupees per unit. Similarly in the following years, the stoppage of trucks on the highway and then the changing weather patterns has hit the industry. The Indian government’s decision to waive a 20 per cent tariff on apples imported from the United States has caused distress among local farmers due to a drop in prices. This move has impacted the competitiveness of domestically grown apples and has led to concerns among farmers regarding the sustainability of their livelihoods.
It is estimated that approximately 5700 kannals are getting affected which will be a major blow to the local or regional economy. It is evident that the government prefers development over the local or regional economy of the poor farmers.
Considering these concerns, the government should prioritize the welfare of affected families by offering compensation in the form of employment opportunities. Before proceeding further, the government should thoroughly assess the situation and mitigate the adverse effects on the local economy.
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Er Ishfaq Khaliq