KL Report
SRINAGAR
The Central government has shelved Jammu-Rahuri-Poonch and Baramulla-Kupwara rail lines, announced with a fanfare, while tabling Railway Budget in the Parliament last February. Both the national projects were deemed unfit due to financial costs. Replying to a question posed by the NC MP G. N. Ratanpuri in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Railways Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy said the cost of these projects was high and the funding issues could not be sorted out.
On another Islamabad-Pahalgam new rail line, she said it was still under survey and target date of completion has not been fixed. The 223-km Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch line was estimated to cost Rs. 13612.81 crore and the cost of Baramulla-Kupwara (39 km) was pegged at Rs. 628.29 crore. The Jammu–Poonch railway line was proposed to connect Akhnoor, Kaleeth, Doori- Dager-Chowkim Choura-Bhambl and Nowshera as well.
