PM opens key rail link between J&K

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday opened India's longest rail tunnel in Kashmir to provide a key link between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region. Hours before ending a two-day visit to the troubled State, he rode with school children on the inaugural run of the train through the 10.96-km-long tunnel to link Qazigund town in the Valley with Banihal in Jammu region. The prime minister warmly shook hands with the overjoyed children and sat with them as the diesel train made its way from Banihal through the winding tunnel, an engineering marvel that took seven years to complete in a mountainous region.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former chief minister, were with the Prime Minister on the train. After reaching Qazigund, Manmohan Singh went back on the same train to Banihal where he told a meeting attended by hundreds of people that the new train link will boost Jammu and Kashmir's economic development. "Today, we are dedicating a marvellous and wonderful feat of engineering crafted across the Himalayas," he said. "This is not just an engineering marvel, but an all weather link between the Valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir. This will usher in a new era in the development of the State, providing welfare and employment to the people here."

The rail bridge between Udhampur and Banihal -- the train runs through the Pir Panjal mountain range -- is the highest in the world. The tunnel was built at a cost of Rs1,300 crores. An eight-coach train will operate on the route from June 27. The link cuts the distance between Qazigund and Banihal towns by 18 km. "I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that (my) government will extend all possible support for the development of the people here," the Prime Minister said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the rally that the people of Jammu and Kashmir "are fed up with violence. They want peace and development. "I know very well that painful incidents happen here occasionally but our democracy has enough scope to sort out issues through dialogue and negotiations." Sonia said UPA was aware of the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and affirmed that solution to any problem lies in the democratic set up of the country through discussions and deliberations.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a veiled attack on BJP for raking up the issue of Article 370 saying the special status for the State was being used as a political issue by the party to be fool people. Srinagar remained tense for a second day on Wednesday as security forces enforced restrictions for VVIP protection in view of a deadly ambush by militants on Monday in which eight soldiers were killed.