Karnah, Aug 14 (JKNS): Member of Rajia saba Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and raised several important issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the development and connectivity of remote border areas.
During the meeting, Ramzan sought the restoration of statehood and constitutional rights to Jammu and Kashmir and urged the government to expedite the completion of the 120-km Sumbal–Bandipora–Gurez road, develop it as a strategic National Highway and expedite progress on the Razdan Pass Tunnel.
He also raised several issues concerning Karnah and other border areas, including increasing the number of local porters in Tangdhar from the existing 400 to 1,000 to create more employment opportunities. He further sought special recruitment drives in the Army and BSF for youth from Karnah, Kupwara and other remote border areas.
Ramzan also stressed the continuation and strengthening of Defence Labour Procurement to protect employment opportunities for local labourers and suppliers. He proposed a cable car service from Drangyari to Nechhan via Sadhna Top, saying it could promote border tourism and provide an alternative connectivity option during winter.
He also called for strengthening the Mursheel–Keran–Tangdhar road network and improving the Chowkibal–Karnah, Meliyaal–P-Gali–Keran and Z-Gali–Machil roads. In Poonch district, he sought the development of the Gali Maidan–Gagrian–Sawjian–Batal Kot–Loran road, spanning around 39 km, as a Border Zero Line Road.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured Ramzan that the issues raised would be duly considered and that necessary steps would be taken regarding strategic connectivity, employment and infrastructure development in border areas.
Meanwhile, Karnah MLA expressed gratitude to Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan for effectively highlighting the long-pending issues of Karnah and other border areas before the Defence Minister. The MLA said he had earlier provided Ramzan with a detailed list of priority issues concerning the border population.
The MLA said improved connectivity, employment opportunities and development of border areas were the need of the hour. He expressed hope that raising these issues at the central level would pave the way for concrete action and help address the long-standing problems faced by the people of Karnah. (JKNS)