Sonasamil residents protest against proposed railway line in Pulwama

PULWAMA — Residents of Sonasamil village in southern Kashmir’s Pulwama district staged a protest on Thursday against the proposed railway line from Kakapora to Shopian, demanding that the government reconsider or relocate the project.

The protest comes a day after residents of Monghama and Babhara villages in Pulwama raised similar concerns, voicing opposition to the railway line, which they fear will leave hundreds of families landless and disrupt their livelihoods.

Mohammad Ramzan, a senior citizen from Sonasamil, told the news agency KNO that the proposed railway line cuts through precious orchard land, which is the lifeline of the local community. “We have very limited land, and this project will render the entire village landless. Our orchards are the only source of income for most of us,” he said.

Ghulam Rasool, another local resident, said most families in the village rely on horticulture for survival. “If this railway line is constructed, it will not only take away our livelihoods but also make many families homeless. We don’t need such projects if they come at the cost of our existence,” he said.

The villagers said the government should consult local communities before taking up such large-scale projects. “The people here depend entirely on this land. If the project is executed as planned, it will push us into starvation,” one protester said.

The residents have urged higher authorities to intervene immediately and reassess the project’s alignment to safeguard their livelihoods and homes.

Similar protests have taken place in Reshipora and Pahnoo areas of Shopian, as well as other parts of Pulwama, with residents opposing the railway project and calling for it to be shifted to an alternate route.