Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh flagged off the Jammu-Haridwar Express train from Baroda House, Railway headquarters here today. Speaking on the occasion Dr Jitendra Singh said that his personal presence at Railway headquarters during the flagging - off ceremony was meant to convey a deep sense of gratitude on behalf of the people of Jammu for the manner in which, one after the other, the Ministry of Railways had positively responded to the needs and demands of the people of Jammu. He recalled that, less than three months ago, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had flagged off the historic Kamakhya (Assam) to Katra (Vaishno Devi) train covering a distance of more than 2,000 Km and connecting the two destinations of religious pilgrimage.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said a train does not mean a mere means of transport but much more than that and is therefore, deeply embedded in our psyche and culture thus instantly conjuring up images of movement, progress and reaching out to people and places. He said, PM Shri Modi’s dictum of “Speed, scale and skill” for growth and progress is best personified by the manner in which the Indian Railways has registered its growth in the last two years under the dynamic leadership of the Railway Minister Shri Suresh Prabhu. It is not a small achievement, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, that Railway network has today reached even the remotest parts like Kashmir Valley and Katra where people could have never imagined of it. He also referred to the plan for setting up a new Railway Station at Kathua, expansion of Udhampur Railway Station and setting up of sitting benches and shades at Kathua, Udhampur and Ram Nagar Railway Stations, for which he is also contributing from his Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). Expressing satisfaction over the progress in the construction of Railway bridge at Reasi, he said, this part of the Railway link from Jammu to Kashmir will be an illustration for posterity.