Kashmir rail link example of continuity in governance which PM never acknowledges: Congress

Congress criticizes PM Modi for not acknowledging past governments' role in the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line.

The Congress on Friday (June 6, 2025) said the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) is a powerful example of continuity in governance, which it claimed is "consistently denied" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his "perennial desire for self-glory".

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The Opposition party's assertion came just ahead of Prime Minister Modi inaugurating the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). Stretching 272 km through the rugged Himalayas, the project has been built at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said governance involves great continuity, "a fact consistently denied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his perennial desire for self-glory".

This is especially true when it comes to the implementation of extraordinarily challenging developmental projects, he said in a statement.

The USBRL was initially sanctioned in March 1995 when P V Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister, Mr. Ramesh said.

"In March 2002, it was declared as a national project when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister. Subsequently, on April 13, 2005, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 53 km rail link between Jammu and Udhampur," he said.