Concerns over proposed railway alignments in North Kashmir are gaining momentum after the union government recently put on hold railway expansion projects in South Kashmir due to fears of damage to apple orchards.
Earlier this month, union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that proposed rail lines in South Kashmir had been shelved following objections from public representatives and concerns that land procurement could harm apple orchards.
Surveys had begun on multiple routes, but the projects were paused pending further review.
The issue has now shifted to North Kashmir, where residents and political leaders have raised objections to the proposed Baramulla–Uri railway alignment, citing potential displacement and damage to key heritage and residential areas.
Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana recently met the Railway Minister in Parliament and conveyed concerns raised by residents of Sherwani Colony, Jetty, Fatehpora, in Baramulla.
“The residents have expressed deep anxiety that the alignment is passing through densely populated habitations, including the historic Sherwani Colony, established in 1961 in memory of Shaheed Mohammad Maqbool Sherwani, a well-known freedom fighter who played a pivotal role during 1947 in defending Kashmir from invaders,” the MP wrote to the union Railway Minister.
He said the residents fear that this alignment, if executed, will result in large-scale displacement of families, demolition of long-settled homes, and irreparable loss to their social, cultural, and historical identity.
“As highlighted in their petition, a house is not merely a structure but the soul of a family, built with lifelong savings and memories. Its loss cannot be compensated in material terms, especially for elderly residents, They have humbly appealed that the alignment be reviewed and reconsidered, and alternative routes may kindly be explored through sparsely populated or vacant areas,” the MP wrote.
“I would, therefore, request your good office to examine this matter sympathetically and with urgency, keeping in view the national interest of connectivity as well as the constitutional values of justice and humane governance,” it added.
In a post on X after the meeting, Khatana said the Minister assured him the railway survey would be reviewed in consultation with stakeholders while examining alternative alignments.
The Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh aka Engineer Rashid had also taken up the matter with union Railway Minister, highlighting that the present alignment affects residential localities and may lead to displacement of families and disruption of community infrastructure.
According to Awami Itihaad Party spokesperson Inam un Nabi, the union Ministry of Railways has forwarded the representation of Engineer Rashid to the concerned directorate for necessary action.
The Ministry’s response, conveyed by Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, stated that the concerns have been referred for examination.
Residents of Sherwani Colony say that routing the proposed railway line through densely populated areas of Baramulla would be not just devastating but catastrophic, warning that it could trigger large-scale displacement and disrupt community life.
