Srinagar, May 19 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the decision to withdraw cases on first time stone pelters or to cease counter-terrorism operations during Ramzan was taken, so that every Kashmiri, including the youth, could get stability, peace and development.
Mr Modi said it was not just a counter-terrorism operation, but also a way to expose the people, who were using the fair name of Islam to spread terror.
Inaugurating the Kishan Ganga power project in north Kashmir from SK International Conference Centre on the bank of Dal Lake in the summer capital, Mr Modi said, 'People of Jammu and Kashmir will now understand how they were kept in dark. The Centre has also appointed a representative (interlocutor), who is meeting the representatives of people to strengthen the peace process,' he asserted.
Without naming Pakistan, he said there are many foreign forces, which do not want development in the state. 'But, we have to fight these forces and move ahead,' he said.
'People, who have been trying to divide us, are themselves at the brink of destruction,' the Prime Minister added.
Mr Modi said the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party dispensation led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and National Democratic Alliance-led Centre are working hard to bring to mainstream the youth, who are under the influence of foreign forces, attacking their own country.
'There is no alternative to peace and prosperity,' he said, adding that it was his endeavour that the youth, who have lost their way, should come back to the mainstream.
'The mainstream is their family, parents, and their active participation in the development of Jammu and Kashmir,' he said, adding that it was the responsibility of the youth to bring laurels to Jammu and Kashmir.
He said, 'Every stone pelted and every shot fired by the misguided youth of the valley is hurting the state. We have to come out of this atmosphere, so that the youth of the valley are not just connected with the development of the state, but rest of the nation.'
For the development of Jammu and Kashmir, he said the state government and the Centre has a policy, intention and will power to take a tough decision.
However, he said to maintain the bond between Kashmiriyat and democracy, the people of the state have to play their part.
Mr Modi added, 'Every problem, every confrontation has only one solution and that is development.'
Pakistan objections
The strategically important Kishanganga hydro-electric power project has evoked protests from Pakistan.
It was critical to complete the project at the earliest in view of the dispute raised by Pakistan in the year 2010 in the Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration (CoA), arguing that the Kishanganga Hydro Power Project violates the Indus River Treaty. On December 20, 2013, the International Court of Arbitration gave its final award which unequivocally allowed India to proceed with construction of the Kishanganga dam in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
In Leh, Mr Modi unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of work on the Zojila tunnel.
Accompanied by Union Minister of Roads, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and other senior officers, Mr Modi was received at Leh airport by Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other civil and Army officers at 0900 hrs.
The Prime Minister attended the commencement of work on Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway at an event in Jive-tsal in Leh before flying to summer capital, Srinagar.
The 14-km-long Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bidirectional tunnel.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Mr Modi, had approved the construction, operation and maintenance of this two-lane bi-directional tunnel with Parallel Escape (Egress) tunnel between Baltal and Minamarg on the Srinagar-Leh section of NH-1A at a total cost of Rs 6,800 crore earlier this year.
The construction of this tunnel will provide all weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh. This route remains snow-bound for a large part of the year, and is ravaged by frequent avalanches. As a result, road connection to places in the Laddakh region stands disrupted for long periods, preventing even essential supplies from reaching people, shutting down businesses, affecting healthcare and education.
The tunnel will cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from the present 3.5 hrs to just 15 minutes, besides making the drive much safer and convenient.
The project has strategic and socio-economic importance, and will be an instrument for the development of the economically backward districts in J&K.
The Zojila tunnel has been planned as a smart tunnel with fully transverse ventilation system, Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), Tunnel Emergency Lighting, CCTV Monitoring, Variable Message Signs (VMS), Traffic Logging Equipment, Over Height Vehicle Detection and Tunnel Radio System.
It will have pedestrian cross passages at every 250 meter and motorable cross passages and lay-bys at every 750 meter. It will have emergency telephones and fire-fighting cabinets at every 125 meter.
Mufti asks PM to stay some more
Describing Ladakh as the most peaceful and beautiful part of the state, Ms Mufti invited the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the region again and stay for a few days.
The Ladakh region is not only beautiful but its people are very hospitable and friendly, she said.
'I thank you on my government's behalf and on behalf of people of Ladakh for sparing time to visit the region to lay the foundation of Zojilla tunnel,' she said to the Prime Minister.
"We feel proud that despite very busy engagement at New Delhi, you are with us today," she added.
She requested the Prime Minister to sanction two stadiums for Leh and Kargil districts of the region.
The youth are very talented here but they need facilities, she said, adding that they are good in ice hockey and ice skating, she said.
Mr Modi said construction of tunnel at Zojila will boost the tourist footfalls in Ladakh region.
He also referred to Sindhu Mela and other festivals of Ladakh in the context of tourist arrivals in the region.
Mr Modi announced that about four crore households, who have never seen a bulb even after 70 years of Independence, will be provided electricity within a year.
There were more than 18,400 villages without electricity, he said, adding immediately after taking over
in 2014 the government formulated a policy to provide power to every village.
'We fulfilled this commitment and all villages in the country have electricity,' Mr Modi said.
Road to salvation
The Prime Minister said the Ladakh region has great potential for generation of solar power.
In Jammu, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Tarakote Marg from Katra to Adhkuwari, material ropeway project and laid foundation stones of Jammu Ring Road and 1000 MW Pakal Dul HE Project at a function at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Jitendra Singh, R K Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta, Assembly Speaker Dr Nirmal Singh and Power Minister Sunil Kumar Sharma were present on the occasion.
The Jammu Ring Road is to be executed by the National Highways Authority of India, which will be 58.25 km long road project and would be constructed between Rayamorh-Vijaypur in Samba district to Jagti-Nagrota in Jammu district.
Official sources said the road project is expected to be completed in around three years time at an estimated cost of Rs 2,024 crore.
The ring road, named the ‘Stand Alone Ring Road-Bypass Around Jammu city,’ is aimed to usher in substantial socio-economic growth of the area.
The Ring Road project will traverse through around 60 villages, across two districts and reduce wear and tear of vehicles and facilitate smooth and hassle-free movement of traffic with provisions of eight major, 22 minor bridges, six flyovers and two tunnels measuring seven to eight km in length, the sources added.
The Material Ropeway inaugurated by the Prime Minister from Siar Dabri to Bhawan will be constructed from Bhawan to Bhairon Ghati, sources said.
They said the trial runs of the ropeway will be conducted from May 25 for nearly 20 days. The Prime Minister also inaugurated Tarakote Marg, an alternate seven km track to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, which on was thrown open for the pilgrims from Friday.
The Shrine Board official spokesman said Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway Project is at an advanced stage of completion and will be put to trial run shortly.
Fully equipped with all safety norms as per relevant standards, the Passenger Ropeway has a carrying capacity of 800 persons per hour and with its completion, pilgrims to the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi will be able to fulfil their wish of paying obeisance at Bhairon Temple which was earlier difficult, owing to a steep climb to an altitude of 6,600 feet.
Mr Modi laid the foundation of 1,000 MW Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project, to be constructed in the far-flung Kishtwar district on the tributary of Chenab river.
They said the project is expected to be completed in an estimated time of 66 months at a cost of Rs 8,112 crores.
This project is being constructed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Ltd.-a joint venture company between National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd.-a Govt of India Enterprise, Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Ltd and Power Trading Corporation (India) Ltd formed to harness the vast hydro potential of river Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir.
Leave closed walls behind
Addressing the Sixth Convocation of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Technology (SKUAST-J) at village Chatha, Mr Modi said, "Never allow a student inside you to die."
He told the students pursuing or have completed professional courses in agriculture fields that they are going to an open classroom now leaving the closed walls behind. "Keep your urge for innovations alive. Degrees in your hands are hopes for the farmers."
He said technology is changing with time and today's challenge is not only quality of seeds but beyond that, which is changing weather conditions. "If we see, in the past there was a record production by farmers but uncertainty prevailed among the farmer community over production as it depends upon the rains."
Glaciers are melting fast, resulting in temperature soaring, Mr Modi added.
"At some places, there is water shortage but at others there is excess of water," he said.
The Prime Minister said Jammu and Kashmir is also one of the regions which is witnessing deficient rainfall and rise in temperature, day by day.
Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in downtown besides some areas in civil lines and old city in Srinagar as a precaution in view of the 'Lal Chowk Challo' called by separatists on Saturday to protest Mr Modi's visit to the Kashmir valley.
The main gates of historic Jamia Masjid, stronghold of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, were closed again as a precautionary measure to prevent any demonstrations.
Police said restrictions under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in the areas falling under five stations of M R Gunj, Khanyar, Safa Kadal, Rainwari and Nowhatta since this morning to maintain law and order.
All roads leading to historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, were closed with barbed wire by security forces and state police since morning.
Hundreds of security force personnel were deployed in the area to prevent people from assembling there.
Security forces teargassed and lathicharged stone-pelting demonstrators in downtown Srinagar.
UNI Team RP2100