केंद्र सरकार ने सोपोर–कुपवाड़ा नई रेल लाइन परियोजना को अव्यवहारिक पाए जाने के बाद रद्द कर दिया है। यह जानकारी रेल, सूचना एवं प्रसारण तथा इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स एवं आईटी मंत्री अश्विनी वैष्णव ने शुक्रवार को राज्यसभा में एक प्रश्न के लिखित उत्तर में दी।

मंत्री ने बताया कि श्रीनगर–बारामूला रेल खंड की कनेक्टिविटी को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए 34 किलोमीटर लंबी सोपोर–कुपवाड़ा नई लाइन का सर्वे और विस्तृत परियोजना रिपोर्ट (DPR) तैयार की गई थी, लेकिन व्यवहार्यता के आधार पर इसे आगे नहीं बढ़ाया गया।

उन्होंने कहा कि सीमावर्ती क्षेत्रों में रेल संपर्क मजबूत करने के उद्देश्य से दो अन्य परियोजनाओं की DPR तैयार की गई है। इनमें काजीगुंड–श्रीनगर–बडगाम रेल खंड का दोहरीकरण (118 किमी) और बारामूला–उरी नई रेल लाइन (40 किमी) शामिल हैं।

वैष्णव ने स्पष्ट किया कि DPR तैयार होने के बाद किसी भी रेल परियोजना को मंजूरी देने के लिए राज्य सरकारों सहित विभिन्न हितधारकों से परामर्श और नीति आयोग व वित्त मंत्रालय जैसी संस्थाओं से स्वीकृति आवश्यक होती है। चूंकि परियोजनाओं की स्वीकृति एक सतत और गतिशील प्रक्रिया है, इसलिए निश्चित समयसीमा बताना संभव नहीं है।

मंत्री ने हाल ही में शुरू हुई 272 किलोमीटर लंबी उधमपुर–श्रीनगर–बारामूला रेल लिंक (USBRL) परियोजना का भी उल्लेख किया। उन्होंने कहा कि इस परियोजना से उधमपुर, रियासी, रामबन, श्रीनगर, अनंतनाग, पुलवामा, बडगाम और बारामूला जिलों को सीधा रेल संपर्क मिला है।

उन्होंने बताया कि USBRL परियोजना का क्षेत्र के सामाजिक और आर्थिक विकास पर बड़ा प्रभाव पड़ा है और इससे पांच करोड़ से अधिक मानव-दिवस का रोजगार सृजित हुआ है। परियोजना के तहत 215 किलोमीटर से अधिक पहुंच मार्ग, एक सुरंग और लगभग 320 छोटे पुल भी बनाए गए हैं, जिससे स्थानीय आबादी की कनेक्टिविटी और जीवन स्तर में सुधार हुआ है।

मंत्री ने कहा कि घाटी को देश के बाकी रेल नेटवर्क से हर मौसम में विश्वसनीय और आरामदायक रेल संपर्क मिलने से पर्यटन क्षेत्र को भी बड़ा बढ़ावा मिलेगा।

The proposed Sopore–Kupwara new railway line project in north Kashmir has been dropped after being found infeasible, even though a survey was conducted and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been prepared, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

In a written reply to a question, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the 34-km Sopore–Kupwara new line was initially sanctioned to extend rail connectivity of the existing Srinagar–Baramulla section, but was later abandoned due to feasibility issues.

The minister said that to further enhance rail connectivity, particularly in border regions, DPRs have been prepared for two other projects — doubling of the Qazigund–Srinagar–Budgam section (118 km) and a new rail line from Baramulla to Uri (40 km).

He clarified that after preparation of DPRs, sanctioning of railway projects requires consultations with multiple stakeholders, including state governments, and statutory approvals such as appraisal by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance. Since project approvals are part of a continuous and dynamic process, fixed timelines cannot be specified, he added.

Highlighting the recently commissioned Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), Vaishnaw said the 272-km-long project now connects districts including Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla.

The minister noted that the USBRL project has made significant socio-economic contributions to Jammu and Kashmir, generating over five crore man-days of employment. He added that more than 215 km of approach roads have been constructed under the project, including tunnels and around 320 small bridges, greatly improving connectivity for local populations.

“With the all-weather, reliable and comfortable rail connectivity of the Kashmir valley with the rest of the Indian Railways network, tourism will receive a major boost,” the minister said.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday urged the Centre to establish a dedicated fruit corridor through a railway link for the smooth transportation of horticulture produce from Kashmir to the rest of the country, while calling for railway projects to be aligned away from fertile orchard land.

In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mufti requested a specialised rail network focused on fruit transport, citing frequent disruptions and unpredictability of the national highway that hamper timely movement of produce.

Sharing the letter on her X handle, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister thanked the Railway Ministry for keeping certain rail projects passing through orchards in abeyance, saying the decision has brought relief to lakhs of farming families.

“Farmers are not opposed to railway connectivity. On the contrary, a dedicated fruit corridor through a reliable rail network is urgently needed, particularly given the unpredictability and frequent disruptions of the national highway,” she wrote.

Mufti stressed that infrastructure development must be balanced with sustainability and should prioritise barren and uncultivable land instead of productive farmland. She called for a fresh assessment and realignment of proposed railway projects along unproductive land to safeguard livelihoods.

She also demanded rail connectivity for the Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions from Jammu, describing these areas as resource-rich and strategically important but economically constrained due to weak surface connectivity.

“Like the rest of India, Kashmir lives in its villages where most farmers are marginal landholders with no alternative income source. Rising unemployment among educated youth has further increased dependence on agriculture,” she said.

Mufti noted that many farmers have recently shifted to high-density and capital-intensive horticulture, and uncertainty over rail project alignments has created fear about the safety of their investments. She urged authorities to scrap current alignments affecting orchards and redesign them to protect fertile land.

She said such a move would reduce anxiety among growers and help safeguard the livelihoods of nearly 1.5 million families dependent on agriculture and horticulture in the Valley.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday carried out searches at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the “white collar” terror module busted in November last year, officials said.

An NIA team reached the GMC campus and conducted detailed searches as part of the ongoing probe. Officials said the action is linked to the recovery of a rifle from the locker of a doctor during earlier investigations in November.

Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather is among the nine persons arrested in the case involving the suspected terror module. The investigation had earlier led to the recovery of a large quantity of explosives from Faridabad in the National Capital Region (NCR), pointing to a wider network, officials added.

Meanwhile, security forces also launched a search operation in the Koil Karewa area of Pulwama district following specific intelligence inputs about the possible presence of terrorists in the area.

Officials said the operation was continuing, and so far no arrests or recoveries have been reported.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday presented the Union Territory’s Budget for 2026–27 in the Legislative Assembly, stating that the financial plan is designed to lay a strong foundation for sustainable growth, social harmony and long-term economic prosperity.

Presenting the Budget, Abdullah said the government is committed to transforming Jammu and Kashmir into a modern, progressive and economically vibrant region through investment promotion, innovation and participatory governance.

“With deep humility and unwavering resolve, I rise today to present my second Budget as Finance Minister. It is a privilege to be entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the financial future of our land,” he told the House.

Describing the Budget as a forward-looking development roadmap, the Chief Minister said it goes beyond financial allocations and reflects a broader vision for the Union Territory’s future.

“This Budget is not merely a ledger of figures, it is a fiscal compass charting our path towards a brighter horizon. It lays strong foundations for enduring economic growth, social harmony and sustainable prosperity,” Abdullah said.

He emphasised that the government’s approach combines fiscal responsibility with inclusive development, with a focus on strengthening institutions, accelerating growth and ensuring that the benefits of development reach all sections of society.