Page 17 - Jammu And Kashmir

Kashmir to get two Vande Bharat trains; PM Modi to open key bridges

PM to inaugurate Anji and Chenab bridges and launch Kashmir's first Vande Bharat trains linking the Valley with Jammu and the rest of India via USBRL project

J&K raises dearness allowance by 2% for govt employees: Key details

Arrears from January to May will be paid along with June salaries, says Finance Department

Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat train service to start operations from Jun 7

The Vande Bharat train service between Katra and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir will start commercial operations from June 7, the Northern Railway said on Thursday. The train will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) platform will start reflecting these trains for prospective passengers to book tickets after the inauguration, an official said. According to Northern Railway, two Vande Bharat train sets will make four trips during the day between Katra and Srinagar. "It has two travelling classes Chair Car (CC) and Executive Class (EC) with tickets costing Rs 715 and Rs 1,320 respectively," an official from the Northern Railway said. The first train will commence from Katra at 8:10 am and reach Srinagar at 11:08 am. The same train will return in the afternoon from Srinagar at 2 PM and reach Katra at 4:58 pm. This train service will not be available on Tuesday. Another train will start from Katra at 2:55

Multi-tier security set up in J&K ahead of PM Modi's visit on June 6

A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for Prme Minister Naredra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to inaugurate the much-awaited Kashmir rail link and also dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore in Katra, officials said. This will be the first visit of Modi to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 persons, mostly tourists, dead on April 22. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the Chenab bridge and India's first cable-stayed Anji bridge, the symbol of India's engineering excellence before flagging off Vande Bharat trains to mark the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link (USBRL) that will provide direct train connectivity to the valley. Modi will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore at Katra, the bas

India thanks Australia for backing fight against cross-border terrorism

India and Australia on Wednesday resolved to further boost their strategic ties with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailing Canberra's unequivocal support to New Delhi's resolute response to the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack. Singh held wide-ranging talks with his visiting Australian counterpart Richard Marles focusing on various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation as well as New Delhi's "extreme challenges" along its border with Pakistan. Marles is the first senior Australian minister to visit India after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese retained power for a second term following victory of his Labor party in the parliamentary elections last month. His visit to New Delhi coincides with the fifth anniversary of the firming up of India Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that facilitated deeper defence ties between the two sides, especially in the maritime domain. Following the meeting, Singh thanked Australia for its unequivocal support to India's "resolute response

PM Modi to inaugurate Chenab bridge, flag off Vande Bharat trains in J-K

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday inaugurate the Chenab bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, and flag off Vande Bharat trains between Katra and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. A PMO statement said Modi will launch multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore at Katra, the home to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple. Lauding the Chenab bridge as an architectural marvel, the statement noted that it is at a height of 359 metres above the river. It is a 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge engineered to withstand seismic and wind conditions. "A key impact of the bridge will be in enhancing connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar. Through Vande Bharat train moving on the bridge, it will take just about 3 hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing existing travel time by 2-3 hours," it said, stressing Modi's commitment to boosting infra and connectivity in the region. The Anji Bridge is India's first cable-stayed rail bridge that will serve the nation in

PM to inaugurate Chenab bridge, world's highest railway bridge, on June 6

The iconic Chenab Railway Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, will be part of this Katra-to-Sangaldan stretch, connecting New Delhi directly with Kashmir via Katra

J-K LG sacks 3 govt employees over links with LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday dismissed three government employees for their alleged involvement with proscribed terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, officials said. A police constable, a school teacher and a junior assistant in a government medical college were terminated under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution, which allows dismissal without an inquiry "in the interest of national security". All three are currently lodged in jail, they said. Over 75 government employees with terror links have been dismissed so far by the LG administration. Officials said the action is part of the administration's continued crackdown on terror infrastructure, including overground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers embedded within government institutions. The dismissed employees were identified as Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a police constable, Ajaz Ahmed, a teacher in the school education department and Waseem Ahmad Khan, a junior assistant in Government ..

Ladakh Reservation Act amended: Reservation cap set at 85%, EWS excluded

The Ministry of Law and Justice amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act for Ladakh, capping total reservation at 85 per cent, excluding the Economically Weaker Sections quota

First parcel train carrying 24 tonnes of cherries leave J-K for Mumbai

A parcel train containing 24 tonnes of cherry left Jammu and Kashmir's Katra station for Mumbai on Saturday, marking the first such initiative which was described by the Jammu division of the Northern Railway as "historic". The parcel train, which will reach Mumbai's Bandra station within 30 hours, was earlier scheduled for June 3 but was advanced to facilitate two more indents for loading of cherries, one from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station and another from Jammu station, in the coming days, a railway official said. The fruit growers in Kashmir welcomed the initiative and hoped that the much-awaited Kashmir rail link will be connected to the railway network soon to facilitate transportation of the perishable fruits directly from the valley to various destinations across the country. Today will be counted as a historic day in the recently created Jammu division of Northern Railway as railways took a unique initiative to transport 24 tonnes of cherry from Katra to Bandra ...

J&K progress won't stop; those who harm us will get a befitting reply: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that the development of Jammu and Kashmir, which he said began in 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will not stop or slow down despite recent provocations, and warned that those attempting to harm India will face a "strong and decisive" response. Delivering a message of reassurance and resolve from the border district of Poonch, Shah said the pause in development caused by recent disturbances is only momentary, and the Union Territory's progress will soon regain its momentum. The home minister lauded the bravery and readiness of the armed forces and the civil administration, acknowledging the sacrifice of a senior official during the recent India-Pakistan military conflict. He also praised the administration's swift response in evacuating civilians to safer places during the shelling. The development of Jammu and Kashmir will neither stop nor slow down. The pace that began in 2014 will continue. Anyone who tries to harm us will

Kashmir's separation issue ended with Article 370 abrogation: Salman Khurshid

Khurshid's recent remarks mark a departure from his earlier position. In 2019, he had argued that Article 370 was not a barrier, but a bond that linked Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of India

Amit Shah directs security forces to maintain vigil during Amarnath Yatra

The government will leave no stone unturned to provide all required facilities to the Amarnath pilgrims, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, as he directed security forces to maintain utmost vigilance and ensure seamless completion of the annual pilgrimage. Shah said this after chairing a high-level meeting here on Thursday night to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra. Chaired a review meeting for the Amarnath Pilgrimage and evaluated the security arrangements and preparedness meant for the pilgrims. Instructed to maintain utmost vigilance and ensure seamless completion of the sacred journey," Shah wrote on X. The Central government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration will leave no stone unturned to provide the pilgrims with all necessary facilities, Shah said. The annual Amarnath pilgrimage will begin on July 3 and end on August 9. Shah arrived here on Thursday evening amid tight security, his first visit to the Unio

Pahalgam attack has not stalled the J-K statehood talks: Omar Abdullah

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the April 22 Pahalgam attack has not stalled the conversation around restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and that he had raised the issue at the recent meeting of NITI Aayog governing council. "No, not at all. If you were to take out the formal speech that circulated in the NITI Aayog meeting, you will find a categorical mention for return of statehood in that ... which was given to the Honourable Prime Minister and all the members of the governing council of the NITI Aayog," Abdullah told reporters in this tourist resort of north Kashmir, 52 kilometres from Srinagar. Abdullah was responding to a question whether the Pahalgam terror attack had affected the talk about restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. "So, the conversation around statehood has not stalled. The only thing I was unwilling to do was to use the special session of the (Jammu and Kashmir) Assembly to talk about statehood. But that does not mean the ...

Farmer suicides fell in J&K after 2019: What it says about mandi monopoly

States which have freed farmers from the hold of regulated markets report fewer suicides

After Pahalgam attack, Omar Abdullah to hold meeting in J-K's Gulmarg today

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will on Wednesday chair a meeting of his ministers and top officials in Jammu and Kashmir's ski resort Gulmarg as part of his government's efforts to bring back tourists to the union territory after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. The CM will chair the meeting in Gulmarg at 12 noon, a notice issued by the General Administration Department stated. Besides top civil administration officials, the meeting is expected to be attended by inspector general of police, Kashmir; deputy inspector general, North Kashmir; and senior superintendent of police, Baramulla. On Tuesday, Abdullah chaired a meeting of his council of ministers in south Kashmir's Pahalgam. The aim behind holding meetings outside the fortified Civil Secretariat is to alleviate fear and reinforce a sense of security and trust, the officials said. This would lead to a revival of tourism in Kashmir following the massive setback after the April 22 terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly touri

Omar Abdullah holds Cabinet meet in Pahalgam: 'Bloodshed won't stop J&K'

The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet met in Pahalgam today and plans another session in Gulmarg to help restore public confidence and revive tourism after the recent terror attack

Security forces launch anti-terror operation in J&K's Kathua district

Security forces on Tuesday launched search operations in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district following information about movement of suspected terrorists, officials said. The joint cordon and search operation by police, army and CRPF was underway in the upper reaches of Lowang and Sarthal in Bani area since this morning, they said. They said security forces received information about suspected movement of terrorists and immediately started the anti-terror operation to neutralise the threat. Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police, meanwhile, also conducted a thorough search operation Manohar Gopala and Shatala camp area in Samba district for several hours this morning. The operation was part of the area domination exercise and concluded peacefully, the officials said. The officials said a joint search operation is also continuing in the densely forested Singhpora area of Chatroo in Kishtwar district for the sixth day on Tuesday. The operation st

J-K CM urges PSU, parliament meets in Kashmir to boost tourism, trust

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday proposed a dual approach to resuscitate Jammu and Kashmir's tourism sector, severely impacted by the Pahalgam terror attack, urging the Centre to mandate PSUs to hold meetings in Kashmir and to convene parliamentary committee meetings there. Speaking at the Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah also raised the issue of recent shelling from Pakistan that claimed 23 lives in Poonch, Rajouri and north Kashmir and underlined that the construction of individual bunkers for residents is necessary. Acknowledging the severe impact of the recent events on the vital tourism sector, Abdullah proposed that as an immediate step, the government should direct its public sector undertakings (PSUs) to hold their meetings in Kashmir. He also strongly pitched for holding of parliamentary consultative committee and parliamentary standing committee meetings in Jammu and Kashmir. These concert

Rahul Gandhi meets Poonch shelling victims, vows to raise issue nationally

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday met the victims of the cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and described the damage caused as a "big tragedy", pledging to highlight their plight at the national level. The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha visited Poonch town and interacted for over an hour with the affected population, including the families who lost their members in the shelling between May 7 and May 10. "It is a big tragedy. Many people lost their lives. They (Pakistan army) have hit civilian targets directly. I talked to the people and tried to understand their problems and they have asked me to raise their issue at the national level which I will do," Gandhi told reporters. Later, in a post on X, he said, "Today I met the families of those who lost their lives in shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch. Damaged houses, scattered belongings, moist eyes and painful stories of losing loved ones -- these patriotic families bear the