JKCSF expresses concern over delay in direct Mumbai-Srinagar train service

Srinagar, Dec 01: The Jammu & Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) has expressed growing concern over the continued delay in launching the long-awaited direct Mumbai–Srinagar train service, despite repeated assurances and missed deadlines over the years.

JKCSF Chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani said that Kashmiris had pinned great hopes on this vital rail link, but the dream remains unfulfilled, causing widespread disappointment. He said that unreliable connectivity continues to severely affect the daily lives and economy of Jammu & Kashmir.

Wani noted that the Jammu National Highway remains frequently closed during winter due to landslides and snowfall, disrupting the movement of students, traders, patients, and the general public. At the same time, air travel becomes irregular and unaffordable, with fog, bad weather, and unchecked airfares pushing travel beyond the reach of common people.

He emphasised that a direct Mumbai–Srinagar train, passing through major stations including Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Kota, Jaipur, Delhi, Ambala, Pathankot, and Jammu, would offer all-weather affordable connectivity and significantly boost tourism, trade, and healthcare access for the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

Describing the proposed service as a lifeline, Wani said it would strengthen national integration, communal harmony, and people-to-people ties, countering the divisive tendencies that attempt to weaken the social fabric of the country.

Expressing dissatisfaction over repeated delays, Wani appealed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Railway Minister to take personal interest in ensuring the early commencement of the Mumbai–Srinagar direct rail service for the larger public good.

He reiterated that JKCSF would continue to raise this demand considering its immense socio-economic importance for Jammu & Kashmir and the nation at large.