Pulwama locals demand halt to railway line, cite livelihood concerns

J&KKashmirPulwama locals demand halt to railway line, cite livelihood concerns

PULWAMA — The residents of Babhara and Monghama area in southern Kashmir’s Pulwama district have expressed resentment against the proposed railway line through their villages.

The residents of both villages staged a protest and demanded the intervention of the Union Railway Minister.

The residents of these areas told the news agency KNO that the government must either shift this proposed railway line from Kakapora to Shopian or they shouldn’t construct it as this will leave hundreds of families landless.

Bashir Ahmad, a senior citizen of Babhara, said that they planted apple trees 3-4 decades ago and since then, they have been taking care of them by spending their money and time on them. He said that when these trees started bearing fruits, the government proposed a railway line that would leave them landless, adding that locals have already very little land as they have given it to different projects and if now railway line goes through their village, it will leave them landless.

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Bilal Ahmad, another local, said that most of the people in the village are dependent on their orchards for their livelihood and if this railway line is constructed, it will snatch their livelihood. He said that they don’t need such projects that will snatch their livelihood and even many people will lose their houses as well.

Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Monghama, said that they already gave land for circular land, national highways and many other projects and if a railway line is constructed, they will be left without any land and where they will go. He said that instead of snatching livelihood, the government must start projects that are harmless for locals.

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Locals said that before taking on such projects, the government must take local people into confidence. They said that at a time when the unemployment rate is at its peak, people will lose their orchards on which they are solely dependent, and then they will die of starvation.

Sara Banoo, a local, said that she has four daughters while her husband is unwell and is solely dependent on their orchard and if they lose it, then they won’t have any other option other than begging. She said that there are dozens of such cases in this village and the government shouldn’t take up such projects.

They requested higher-ups to look into the matter at the earliest and take care of poor people before giving the final green signal to the project.

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