Since transport services have not been good enough for the expansion and extension of small scale industries in Jammu & Kashmir and heavy industries also did not become the area of Mjor industrial entrepreneurship due to delays in the completion of Udhampur-Baramulla train track for decades together, the completion of both Jammu-Srinagar four lane express highway and as well as Udhampur-Baramulla train track likely by the year end could open new areas of employment opportunities and income generation for the people of Jammu & Kashmir where employment is as good cause of economic slowdown as it is in other parts of the country. To make travel and trade more hassle free for the purposes of accelerating business and trading activities in Kashmir the Railway Ministry is fortunately gearing up for starting work on Baramulla-Uri train track which would hopefully attract the attention of the Government towards exploration of more tourist destinations in border area of Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Till the completion of Baramulla-Uri train track the tourism department of the Jammu & Kashmir Government will have enough time to identify and develop more tourist destinations in Uri area of Baramulla district. Like Gulmarg the Uri area of Baramulla district despite being a border area could become the major place of attraction for trade and tourism in Baramulla district. While the Central Government is embarking on some major plans to connect even the border areas of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of the country, the onus of exploring new tourist destinations in both plains and border areas of Jammu & Kashmir for the purposes of expanding trade and tourism lies on the tourism department of Jammu & Kashmir Government. Development of new tourist destinations after the completion of Udhampur-Baramulla train track by the year end and Baramulla-train track towards the end of next year won’t only benefit tourists and traders but also the local populations of the concerned areas in Jammu & Kashmir.
“Increasing train networks obviously the best way to facilitate all weather transport services to Kashmir is the most ideal way to lift the local economy as it won’t only increase tourism and trade but it would also promote local businesses, and stimulate the growth of restaurants, hotels, and other such places tourist facilities”.
Never forget that trains provide a cost-effective and efficient mode of transport services to the people in almost all parts of the country and once train services reach even the border areas of Kashmir Valley the unemployment of the local youth won’t hopefully remain as much an issue of economic stress and strain as much it is now. What matters the most is that increasing train networks obviously the best way to facilitate all weather transport services to Kashmir is the most ideal way to lift the local economy as it won’t only increase tourism and trade but it would also promote local businesses, and stimulate the growth of restaurants, hotels, and other such places tourist facilities .
