Onlykashmir.in News Desk
In a significant push for improved connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday held a detailed meeting with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi, pressing for a range of measures to enhance rail services in the Union Territory. The meeting, which touched on both immediate operational needs and longer-term infrastructure ambitions, resulted in several productive discussions that are likely to shape J&K’s transport landscape in the months ahead.
At the heart of the agenda was the longstanding demand from residents of south Kashmir for a commercial stoppage of the Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express at Anantnag. The Chief Minister made a direct appeal to the Railway Minister to address this gap, noting that Anantnag serves as the commercial and administrative hub for an enormous catchment area that includes Kulgam, Shopian, parts of Pulwama, and the entire Anantnag district. The absence of a halt at this key station had been a source of widespread frustration since the train service began, with elected representatives from across south Kashmir repeatedly raising the issue in correspondence with the ministry. The Railway Minister responded positively, and a decision was formally announced to introduce the commercial stoppage — a win that the Chief Minister’s office was quick to communicate to constituents.
But the more consequential and perhaps less-discussed dimension of the meeting was the Chief Minister’s urgent flag regarding the scheduled closure of Srinagar International Airport from October 1 to 15, 2026. The airport is set to undergo essential runway maintenance and resurfacing works during this window — a necessary upgrade that has nonetheless been timed poorly from a tourism and mobility standpoint. October falls squarely within one of Kashmir’s most vibrant tourist seasons, coinciding with the Durga Puja holidays and the post-monsoon period when the Valley draws visitors from across the country.
Omar Abdullah impressed upon the Railway Minister the criticality of augmenting rail services during this fifteen-day closure, specifically calling for increased frequency of Vande Bharat trains to the Kashmir Valley. The logic is straightforward: with flights halted, rail becomes the primary alternative for thousands of tourists, pilgrims, business travellers, and local residents who would otherwise have relied on air connectivity. An enhanced rail schedule during this window would prevent a potentially serious disruption to tourism revenues and daily movement.
The Vande Bharat service, inaugurated on the Katra–Srinagar route in June 2025 and extended to Jammu in April this year, has already demonstrated its capacity to transform travel in the region. With journey times dramatically reduced and passenger comfort markedly improved over older services, the train has become a preferred mode of travel for many. The Chief Minister acknowledged this transformation during the meeting, highlighting also the growing role of the rail network in moving agricultural freight — particularly Kashmir’s celebrated apple and cherry produce — to markets across India.
This meeting reflects a broader pattern of the Omar Abdullah government’s proactive engagement with central ministries on J&K-specific connectivity needs — an approach that is gradually yielding tangible results on the ground.
