Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" is no more a slogan but has become a reality with Vande Bharat train to the valley getting flagged off.
Prime Minister Modi on Friday inaugurated the iconic Chenab Bridge, Anji Rail Bridge and Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project and flagged off Vande Bharat trains, connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
Sinha said the inauguration of the Kashmir rail service has connected the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country and will pave the way for the economic prosperity of the region.
"Kashmir to Kanyakumari is no longer a slogan. Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has turned this decade-long dream into reality. He has connected the hearts of millions of Indians, forging an unbreakable bond from north to south," Sinha said at a public rally in Katra after the inauguration of the train service to Kashmir.
With Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) and the launch of Vande Bharat trains to Kashmir, the prime minister has fulfilled the resolve of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who had dreamt of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat', the LG said.
Terming it a momentous occasion that will go down in history, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Modi for dedicating the historic railway projects to the people of J-K and the nation.
The LG observed that the inauguration of the world's tallest Chenab Railway Bridge and the country's first cable-stayed Anji Rail Bridge will ensure that J-K gets connected with new aspirations of progress.
"The skills of our engineers to build Chenab and Anji bridges, and the hard work of our workers who carved through the mountains have eliminated the gaps that existed between the 'crown jewel of India' and the rest of the country," Sinha said.
He said the prime minister has changed the Union Territory (UT) of J-K in the last six years.
"Its holistic development is the top priority for the prime minister and his various policies, speedy implementation and industrialisation have brought the Union Territory to the focal point of growth. The prime minister had lit a new torch of socio-economic revolution in J-K post-August 2019.
"He built strong pillars of economic development in J-K and now laid new lines of destiny in the form of railway lines on it to transform J-K at a new pace," he said.
Sinha said since April 2022, Modi has dedicated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 1.15 lakh crore to the people of J-K.
He also expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for ensuring firm and decisive action against terrorism and its ecosystem.
"Operation Sindoor avenged the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam and has drawn a new red line. On one hand, the unmatched power of our armed forces is ready to protect the integrity of the nation and on the other, creative power is dedicated to a developed India," the LG said.
In a major boost to last-mile connectivity especially in border areas, Sinha said, Modi also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various road projects. He laid the foundation stone of a road widening project from Rafiabad to Kupwara on National Highway-701 and the construction of the Shopian bypass road on NH-444 worth over Rs 1,952 crore.
He also inaugurated two flyover projects at Sangrama Junction on National Highway-1 in Srinagar and at Bemina Junction on National Highway-44. These projects will ease traffic congestion and enhance traffic flow for the commuters, the LG said.
Sinha said the prime minister also laid the foundation stone of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra worth over Rs 350 crore. "It will be the first medical college in the Reasi district contributing substantially to the healthcare infrastructure in the region," he said.
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