RAMBAN: Ramban, a town earlier known for protracted traffic jams and frequent landslides, has got a highway facelift, two new vital bridges, one crucial bypass flyover, multiple tunnels, three Colleges, railway line up to Sangaldan and much more in the last 10 years and this has been possible because under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been equitable distribution of resources and hitherto rejected areas have received their due without consideration of vote bank, caste or creed.
This was stated by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh while addressing a massive public rally here to seek support for BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Maitra Bridge had been a long standing demand of the people of Ramban but it was not taken up for consideration by erstwhile National Conference and Congress governments. It was taken up only under the Modi Govt and now dedicated to the public.
Similarly, the Minister said, the Jaswal bridge,being a very old bridge, had outlived its lifespan and turned risky for use.
The issue was taken up with the then BRO chief and a new bridge was constructed in minimum possible time.
This new bridge was kept on fastrack within a short span so that people do not suffer inconvenience, he said.
On the eve of the Amarnath Yatra last year, said Dr Jitendra Singh,the new flyover was also ready which eased the traffic jams and considerably reduced the traffic between Jammu to Ramban and further to Srinagar.
Dr Jitendra Singh said ,on one side of Ramban is Asia’s longest tunnel Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee tunnel and on the other side is new Qazigund tunnel plus smaller tunnels.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the work on National Highway beyond Ramban towards Srinagar is also proceeding on fast track with a series of tunnels on the way which would cut down the journey time.
The travel time from Jammu to Srinagar will be reduced to just around 4 hours, he said.
Recently, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that he had launched Green cultivation using lavender along the National Highways beginning from the Ramban-Banihal section of the Highway in Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, it is left to the future historians and analysts to answer why in the last so many decades the entire Ramban region was allowed to languish and suffer because of lack connectivity in spite of the fact some of the well known Ministers in the central as well as state governments were elected from this area.
He said, it is our good fortune that all these pending works were destined to be accomplished in the last 10 years when Narendra Modi was the Prime Minister and BJP represented this Lok Sabha Constituency.
Dr Jitendra Singh said,earlier when Ramban was a part of the erstwhile district of Doda it happened to be located at the last end and therefore underwent neglect and later when a separate district was carved out.
The rally was also addressed by former MLA Neelam Langeh, BJP President Rajeshwar, former Chairman Rakesh Thakur, senior leaders Ramesh Sharma, Katoch, Puran Chand and others.
