Srinagar, Feb 3 — The Centre has put three proposed railway projects in the Kashmir Valley on hold after objections from local communities and elected representatives over large-scale land acquisition and its impact on apple orchards, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.
“There has been demand for additional railway lines beyond the Srinagar–Baramulla route, but concerns raised by the J&K government and Members of Parliament about the alignment passing through vast apple orchards prompted us to reconsider,” Vaishnaw said. “In view of these objections, the projects have been placed on hold.”
National Conference MLA from Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmad Wani, informed the J&K Assembly that the proposed lines seeking to connect Srinagar with Pahalgam and Shopian has been put on hold and said the chief minister had taken up the matter with the Centre.
The decision follows months of protests across Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag, where residents warned that the projects would destroy fertile land, damage orchards and displace farming families.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the pause, calling it a relief for rural communities.
“The decision to put the Pahalgam and Shopian railway lines on hold brings much-needed relief to Kashmir’s agrarian economy,” she wrote on X. “Development that uproots farmers is not progress. Any future plan must be reviewed transparently with local communities on board.”
Farmers in south Kashmir said the announcement eased fears but uncertainty remains.
“My orchards are my only source of income. The railway line was passing right through them,” said Zahoor Ahmad Dar, a farmer from Shopian.
“This is a relief, but we will only feel safe when the projects are permanently cancelled.”
Abbas Ahmad of Jaibal in Anantnag said his family faced losing their home. “I spent 10 years of earnings to build my house, and it was marked for demolition under the proposed route,” he said. “Hundreds of families were affected. This decision gives temporary relief, and we hope the government cancels the projects for good.”