In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed strong displeasure over the Indian government’s failure to restore a 300-metre-long stretch of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, closed for more than two weeks due to landslides in Udhampur district.
Speaking to reporters, Omar Abdullah said the delay had badly hit fruit growers who were unable to transport their produce. “If the highway were under the control of the elected government, it would have been restored by now. We have engineers ready to take up the work. Enough is enough. Every day the Centre kept saying the road would be cleared, but nothing happened,” he said.
The Chief Minister announced that he would write to Indian Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging him to hand over the highway’s maintenance to the elected government so it could be restored immediately. He added that fruit-laden trucks must be allowed to move without further delay.
Omar also appealed to the Railway Minister to make parcel trains a regular service until the highway is reopened. “One ceremonial train is not enough. It should run daily to help fruit growers and traders,” he said.
