Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, yesterday, called upon the Kashmiri youths, yesterday to choose tourism over terrorism, so that the State could achieve new heights of progress.

Invoking former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee mantra of “Kashmiriyat, Insaaniyat and Jamhooriyat” to take Kashmir forward on the path of progress and development, Modi asked stone pelters in the Valley to stop violence and adopt the path of progress through tourism.

Modi has inaugurated South Asia’s longest road tunnel (9.2 kilometers) between Chenani, and Nashri, and said this “tunnel of fortune” is the State’s giant leap towards development and progress.

Equipped with world-class security systems, a single-tube bi-directional tunnel, with a 9.35-metre carriageway, and a vertical clearance of 5 meters, are the other key features of the tunnel.

Additionally, there is also a parallel escape tunnel, with “Cross Passages” connecting to the main tunnel at intervals of 300 meters.

Other features include, an Integrated Traffic Control System; Surveillance, Ventilation and Broadcast Systems; Fire Fighting System; and SOS call-boxes at every 150 meters.

The PM stated that, “there are two roads, before the youths of Kashmir today. One is of tourism, and the other is of terrorism.”

Many individuals, have lost their lives during the last 40 years, but nobody has benefited from it.

“If the blood has been shed, it has been spilled on the soil of Kashmir. And if a life has been lost, it is a mother in Kashmir or in India, who has lost their son. This game of shedding blood has not benefited anybody in Kashmir,” said Modi.

Modi stated, “However, if they had focused on the development of tourism during all these years, the entire valley would have been blessed with a tourism of world class.”

There are youths, who carved out stones to build the tunnel and, in turn, obtained fortunes for themselves with their hard work. On the other hand, there are misguided youth of the Valley, who have been pelting stones (on security forces),” Modi said.

Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, Union Minister for Roads and Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh and several Ministers of the State Government and the legislators, were present while Modi was addressing the huge crowd.

Amid repeated chants of “Modi, Modi” by the crowd, the PM said using the same prime motto of Vajpayee’s we will move ahead in harmony, brotherhood, strong will and determination for the brighter future of the youth, said Modi.

Pointing about the Chenani - Nashri tunnel, which delivers an all-weather route, and reduces the distance of 31 kilometers, between Jammu and Srinagar, Modi described it as a “luck-line” for the State, and said it will take tourism in Kashmir to new heights.

The tunnel will greatly benefit the people of Kashmir, particularly the farmers who would suffer losses because their produce like fruits and vegetables would spoil, due to their journeys from the Valley to other parts of the country, said Modi.

“Every Indian has a dream of visiting Kashmir, at least once in a lifetime, and the more the tourism increases, the more economy of Jammu and Kashmir will develop.”

Union Minister for Roads and Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced, that after the commissioning of the tunnel, the Ministry has approved Ring Road for Jammu, at the cost of Rs 2100 crores and Ring Road in Srinagar at the cost of Rs 2200 crores.

The Minister even stated that the tender has been floated for Ring Road for Jammu, while the tender for Srinagar Ring Road, will be out in next two months. Gadkari also informed that the Zojila tunnel is being built between Leh and Ladakh at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore.

Kashmir, last year, had witnessed five months of protest following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. Hundreds of youth had hit the streets, and clashed with security forces, due to which many were injured.

Due to the violence and strike call by separatists, many schools and colleges were shut down, and education had been severely hampered.

By Supraja