*Demands preference in jobs for locals
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 9: National Conference (NC) president and Member of Parliament (MP) from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah today visited the under construction Zojila and Z-Morh tunnel projects near Sonamarg and reviewed the status of ongoing work there.
During the breadth of his visit to the ongoing tunnel projects, Dr Farooq interacted with the concerned officers and other staff as well. On the occasion, he met scores of locals who apprised him about the plethora of issues concerning them. The locals urged Dr Farooq that they should be given first preference in the job opportunities in the projects. Dr Farooq echoed the sentiments of the local people and assured them that he will take up the matter with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The NC president was accompanied by provincial party president Nasir Aslam Wani, senior leader Mian Altaf Ahmed and political advisor to vice president Tanvir Sadiq. Later, Dr Farooq travelled through the under-construction Z Morh tunnel thereby becoming the first political leader to cross the Tunnel.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Farooq said that these projects will give a flip to the whole set of economic activities in the region and transform the state of people from that of despondency to opulence. He further hoped that the projects will give a flip to the tourism potential of the Sonamarg-Kargil-Ganderbal circuit and bring more out of sight places in the region on the tourist map of the country.
“Such tunnels and highways are critical to the development of any nation. It is a milestone that will provide faster connectivity and usher in prosperity to the people living in these areas. Such all weather connectivity is much needed in this part of the world as the people living in the upper reaches have to face many hardships to even avail basic facilities like health care and essential food supplies,” he said.
On the occasion, Dr Farooq demanded fast track construction of Dessan-Kapran, Semthan, Razdan, and Sadhna pass tunnels. “Such major connectivity projects go a long way in bringing more and more far-flung projects on the tourist map of the country and the world,” he said.
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