Valley's 22-yr wait for first train over

<div class="section0"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">UDHAMPUR: A week after the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was opened to bring separated Kashmiris closer, New Delhi moved on Wednesday to make tracks to ameliorate Kashmiri alienation by taking a train closer to the Valley.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The Jammu-Udhampur train that will eventually connect Kashmir with the rest of the country, was flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.The 54-km Udhampur-Jammu broad gauge line, is the first section of the ambitious project that has faltered several times.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Addressing a large gathering at the mountainous railway station, Manmohan Singh said, "The railway track when completed will help to create a strong bond between Kashmir and India." </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">He assured that the Jammu-Baramulla railway track via Udhampur, Katra, Qazigund and Srinagar will be completed by 2007.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Singh also announced that the track between Jammu and Jalandhar in Punjab will be doubled as part of the national project.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">"We are expediting the work on these projects because we don''t want to leave any stone unturned in the way of development and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir. In my last visit I had promised that we will brave terrorism and bring economic development and today this train is just a beginning in this direction," he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Railway minister Lalu Prasad whose presence triggered loud cheers from the crowds, referred to IRCON engineer Sudhir Pundir who was kidnapped and killed along with his brother by the militants last year. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">"Yet, we continued with our work and we will take it to Kashmir," he asserted.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">To loud applause, Lalu announced a sleeper factory would be set up in Kathua and a ballast depot in Manwal which would generate local employment.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Besides, one member from each family, whose land had been acquired by the government for the railway project, would get a job in the railways. He also said that local people would get preference in opening tea shops and kiosks at stations. The new line is an engineering marvel passing through several tunnels and bridges over deep gorges and rivers built at the cost of Rs 515 crore.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The track passes through militancy-affected mountainous terrain with 20% of the track going through tunnels, including an over 10-km long one, considered the longest in the country. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The Jammu-Udhampur train Uttar Sampark Kranti Express will run from Delhi to Udhampur on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The people of the hills had waited for 22 long years for this connection, the foundation for which was laid in 1983 by Indira Gandhi.</span></div> </div>