ibn sultan
Srinagar, June 24 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday called for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the demand for statehood was not about the interests of politicians or the Assembly, but for the people of the region.
On the recent reports regarding the delay in statehood and its supposed linkage with the Assembly elections, he said that statehood is not for the MLAs or the government, it is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He further added, “If the statehood is brought, we will not stand in the way. In fact, I will ask the Governor to dissolve the Assembly the very next day.”
He urged the central government not to resort to misleading narratives. “Statehood is our right. Don’t try to scare us with planted stories,” he said.
“We have not only promised the people, but we are also actively working to fulfill it,” Abdullah said, referring to the ongoing efforts to develop tourism infrastructure in Gulmarg.
He said that two major projects had already been initiated, including the foundation for a new ski lift and a water storage tank. “The ski lift will, I hope, be ready for the upcoming season, benefiting skiers, while the water tank will alleviate the region’s water shortage,” he added.
Abdullah also discussed a significant boost to the region’s connectivity infrastructure. “Yesterday, after considerable effort, the central government approved a large connectivity package worth ?10,600 crore,” he said.
The package includes tunnels for the Mughal Road and Sadhana, along with various flyovers and road widening projects.
The CM said that the development was crucial to enhancing connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Mughal Road, since its opening, has faced demand for year-round access. Many had promised a tunnel, but it is only now, with the approval of the central government, that we are seeing progress,” Abdullah added.
He mentioned that work on the Mughal Road tunnel would soon begin.
The discussion also touched on the ongoing issues related to the relaxation of service rules (SROs). Abdullah said that the cases requiring regular routine clearance have been processed, but SRO cases are still pending.
“Those requiring relaxation have been sent to the Governor for approval. I urge the Governor to expedite this process,” he stated.
