Kashmir to Kanyakumari: A Dream Turned Reality with the Railway Link

This piece of article talks about the Jammu and Kashmir, known as Heaven on Earth. It is globally recognized for its natural beauty, humanity, cultural diversity, and talent in the people.

- SHAHID UL ISLAM

The snow blanketed mountains, lush green meadows, and blue lakes have impressed tourists and artists. But the external connectivity conceals a complicated dark reality the talented youth and intelectual people of the place have always been struggling by the lack of proper guidance, infrastructure development, and resources.

Although Jammu and Kashmir has been an integral part of India since 1947, it has been tested in issues of internal connectivity and integration with the rest of the country. Despite its constitutional status, for most decades the region remained isolated in practice, primarily because of limited physical infrastructure.

One of the principal bottlenecks has been road connectivity. The National Highway-44(NH-44), the sole road connecting Kashmir to Jammu and then to the rest of India, is mostly closed or seriously disrupted all along the cold winter months and the rainy season. Landslides, snowfalls, and harsh weather have disrupted travel and the movement of essential commodities time and again. This isolation has not only impeded economic activity but also checked the social and emotional integration of Kashmiris to fellow citizens throughout India.