Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Rajendra Singh on Sunday remarked that the world’s highest rail bridge and Asia’s longest state-of-the-art road tunnel in Udhampur constituency are some of the national level “landmark projects” which has surfaced in the constituency in the last nine years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi first came to power.
Singh said this during a two-hour luncheon meeting hosted by him for PRI representatives, Panches, Sarpanches, BJP office bearers and other activists from his constituency.
Udhampur-Doda-Kathua constituency’s ‘unprecedented’ development
He said that the Udhampur-Doda-Kathua Lok Sabha constituency has seen “unprecedented” developmental works in the last nine years. However, he added that there is a need to spread greater awareness about the same within the constituency and take it to every corner.
He highlighted that it was a matter of pride for everyone of the constituency that while inaugurating the Bharat Mandapam, world’s largest Convention Centre two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the highest railway bridge in Reasi. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the longest road tunnel “Chenani to Nashri” named after Syama Prasad Mukherjee. He discussed that Prime Minister Modi also described the successful Aroma Mission and Lavender Cultivation at Bhaderwah in his Man Ki Baat broadcast.
The meeting in which Singh discussed all of these things, is a part of a cycle of regular feedback sessions which he has been holding with representatives of parts of his constituency. The areas, which were represented in Sunday’s meeting, included Doda, Basholi, Billawar, Kathua and Ramban.
PM Modi’s special focus on J&K
Singh was given a people’s survey report by the delegation which said that ‘Udhampur-Doda-Kathua’ Parliamentary Constituency is possibly among the most developed constituencies in India of all the Parliamentary Constituencies. The Union Minister gave the credit to the Prime Minister who gave special attention to Jammu and Kashmir and the North-Eastern region.
As per Singh, Udhampur-Doda-Kathua Parliamentary constituency is the only constituency in the country to get three centrally funded medical Colleges in the last five years. The constituency has also earned a name in India and the world as the birthplace of ‘Purple Revolution’ which has birthed Agri-tech Start-Ups across India, he added.
Singh has asked the delegation to make people aware of the many first infrastructural developments that have taken place in the last nine years. This includes the highest railway bridge in the world, which is higher than the Eiffel tower, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee tunnel, the longest road tunnel in the world.
Talking about the road and highway development in the constituency, Singh said the Vande Bharat Express from Katra to Delhi, Atal Setu, J&K’s first interstate bridge at Keerian-Gandyal, North India’s first Express Road Corridor from Delhi to Katra via Kathua, the new National Highway from Lakhanpur-Bani-Basohli-Doda via Chattargala Tunnel have made the constituency the best ever connected.
The constituency’s Udhampur district has stood number one in the country in terms of construction of roads under PMGSY, he added.