At Sonamarg Tunnel Inauguration, Omar Mentions PM’s Promise; Modi Affirms Reliability

At the inauguration of the Sonamarg Tunnel, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah 🃏pushed for J&K statehood in a mild manner. The Prime Minister also responded tactically without mentioning statehood. While addressing people, the Prime Minister said that the promises made would be kept, saying that the "right things will happen at the right time."

Both Omar and Modi were addressꦿing people after inaugurating the strategically important Z-Morh tunnel now called Sonamarg tunnel.

In his speech the Prime Minister said he had previously laid the foundation stone of the railway division in Jammu 15 days ago. “Today, I have an opportunity to hand over the Sonamarg tunnel to the nation, meaning another very old demand of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir has been fulfilleꦦd today,” the Prime Minister said.

“You can be sure that this is Modi; if he makes a 🎉promise, he keeps it,” the Prime Mini🐬ster said. “There is a time for every work, and at the right time, the right thing will be done.”

The Prime Minister said that only after the NDA government was formed at the Centre in 2015 the actual construction of the tunnel started. “I am happy that the work of this tunnel has been completed by our government, and my mantra is ‘what we will start, we will in💛augurate it as well.’”

He said with this tunnel, the connectivity of Sonamarg will🐻 remain intact in the winter season. He said tourism is going to get a new boost💙 in this entire area, including Sonamarg. He said many projects of road and rail connectivity are going to be completed in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The work on another big connectivity project nearby is alಞso going💖 on. So, the Kashmir Valley is also going to be connected by rail. There is an atmosphere of great happiness here. These new roads are being built, the train is coming to Kashmir, hospitals are being built, colleges are being built-this is the new Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

The Prime Minister inspected the 6.4 km-long tunnel co✤nstructed at an estimated Rs 2,700 crore. He also interacted with the workers involved in the construction of the tunne🐻l.

The project, which is part of the 12-km-long Tunnel project, along w𓂃ith the Zojila Tunnel, will ensure round the clock connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh once Zojila tunnel is completed by 2028.

On October 20, 2024, the Z Morh tunnel workers were attacked by militants who entered a camp at Gagangir housing the workers, killing seven workers, including six non-local workers and a doctor from Kꦇashmir.

The Prime Minister paid t🤪ribute to the workers, saying, “seven of our comrades made the ultimate sacrifice, but we never wavered in our resolve. No one asked to return home. These brave souls faced e𒁃very challenge head-on and accomplished this monumental task.”

“Today, as we stand together on this beautiful day, with the world wrapped in a white blanket of snow, my first thought⛄s are with the seven comrades we have los🤪t,” the Prime Minister said.

He said two days ago Chief Minister had shared some pictures of this place on social media. “After seeing those pictures, my impatience to come here amongst you increased even more. As the Chief Minister has just stated I have had a long association with all of you and whenev𝓡er I come here, I start remembering the days of many years ago.”