Strategic Railway Expansion in Kashmir Valley Suspended Amid Agricultural and Political Concerns

The Jammu and Kashmir administration, in coordination with parliamentary representatives, has implemented a temporary suspension of proposed railway infrastructure projects connecting Bijbehara to Pahalgam and Pulwama to Shopian. This decisive action follows substantial objections from local agricultural stakeholders and cross-party political figures, including Anantnag-Poonch MP Mian Altaf and opposition PDP leadership, who highlighted potential threats to the region's vital apple orchards. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that while three additional regional railway initiatives were formally requested, all have been placed on hold pending comprehensive review. This development underscores the complex balance between infrastructural modernization and preservation of Kashmir's agricultural economy, which relies heavily on apple production. The suspension reflects heightened sensitivity to environmental and socioeconomic impacts in strategic development planning, demonstrating governmental responsiveness to grassroots and legislative concerns in this sensitive region.