Trees Before Tracks

A halted railway plan saved orchards, livelinoods and showed how listening can rebuild trust in Kashmir.

- Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat

Ashwini Vaishnaw, an IIT Kanpur graduate and former IAS officer with experience in government and the corporate world, took a call that balanced development with people's lives. By shelving these projects, he helped protect thousands of trees and the livelihoods of apple farmers in Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian. More than that, the decision sent a message that listening still matters.

I can still picture what I saw on December 26, 2025, while walking through Babhar, Keegam, Check Niltrisal, Check Nazneen-pora and Kunsoo, villages spread between Pulwama and Shopian.

I was there with fellow activists from the Jammu and Kashmir Climate Action Group, and the feeling in those orchards unsettled me.

Apple farmers stood beside their trees, watching survey teams place masonry pillars marked in yellow, fully aware of what those markings could mean.

‘The railway line under survey would cover just 27 kilometres, running from Kakapora in Pulwama to Kunsoo in Shopian.

That short stretch cut straight through the heart of these villages.

Nearly ninety percent of families depend on apple farming, and the proposed line threatened their income, land and the local environment at the same time.

People felt cornered and unsure how to speak, even though the danger was unfolding right in front of them.

When we sat with farmers and listened, the frustration came pouring out. Many believed raising their voice would change nothing.

But once we started sharing their concerns publicly, backed by clear facts and numbers, the mood began to shift.

Social media posts caught attention, journalists reached out, and silence slowly gave way to public debate.