J&K parties, orchardists hail Centre’s decision to shelve railway projects in Kashmir’s Anantnag, Shopian

The Centre’s decision to shelve the rail expansion projects, affecting orchards and residential areas in south Kashmir’s Anantnag and Shopian districts, was widely hailed by J&K’s political parties and orchardists on Tuesday (February 3, 2026).

“The railway project was stopped after intervention of the J&K government to protect orchards and the local economy,” National Conference (NC) leader and legislator Tanvir Sadiq said. 

Earlier in the day, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Anantnag-Pahalgam and the Anantnag-Shopian expansion was shelved for time being because of the concerns expressed by the leaders from J&K.

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the Centre’s move. “The decision to put the Pahalgam and Shopian railway lines on hold brings much needed relief to Kashmir’s agrarian economy. These projects threatened to destroy scarce fertile land and push over a million rural families into uncertainty. Development that uproots farmers is not progress,” Ms. Mufti said.

The former J&K chief minister said any future plan must be reviewed transparently, with farmers and local communities taken on board, to protect Kashmir’s economy and social fabric.

One estimate suggested that a 27 km rail line in south Kashmir could have impacted seven lakh trees, mainly apple trees in the region. “We have heaved a sigh of relief. The project would have taken large swathes of productive land at a time when road widening and highways projects were already putting a lot of stress on the land. The decision has saved the livelihood of hundreds of orchardists in the area,” Nissar Ahmad, a farmer from Anantnag’s Bijbehara, said.

Meanwhile, NC leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Mian Altaf welcomed the announcement of the Jammu-Rajouri railway project. “The Jammu-Rajouri rail line project aims to enhance connectivity in the region, promoting development, tourism, and employment. The project has been a long-standing demand of the local people, and its announcement has been met with enthusiasm” Mr. Altaf said.