Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that three proposed railway projects in Jammu and Kashmir have been kept in abeyance for the time being. Addressing a press conference in Jammu yesterday, Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects faced resistance due to fears that railway alignments would adversely affect horticulture-rich areas.

He said there was a demand for three railway projects in Jammu and Kashmir, but the local Government and MPs opposed them as there were apprehensions about damage to apple orchards. Keeping these concerns in mind, the projects have been stopped for the time being. Though the Minister did not name the projects, they are understood to include the proposed rail link to Pahalgam, which had drawn sharp opposition from the ruling National Conference as well as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Farmers, particularly from south Kashmir, had also mounted a strong campaign-both on the ground and on social media- arguing that the projects would threaten the livelihood of thousands of families dependent on horticulture. The decision has been welcomed across political lines. The National Conference credited Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for intervening at a crucial stage to halt the projects. In a statement, the party thanked the Chief Minister and its Members of Parliament for what it termed a “necessary and critical intervention” to stop the proposed railway tracks between Anantnag-Pahalgam and Anantnag-Shopian.