Locals say Pulwama–Shopian rail land marking meant to uproot farmers
Srinagar: The ongoing land marking for the proposed Pulwama–Shopian railway line by the Modi-led Indian regime has triggered widespread outrage across several south Kashmir villages, where residents say the move is a deliberate attempt by the Indian authorities to seize fertile land and economically cripple local farming communities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, villagers told the media that Kashmiris, who are primarily farmers and fruit growers, see the project as part of a larger plan to dislodge them from their agricultural belts, deprive them of self-sufficiency, and weaken their collective ability to raise their voice for UN-granted plebiscite.
According to locals, officials have been visiting Gudoora, Kangan, Babhara, Zadoora and adjoining areas for the past several days to install short poles demarcating the proposed alignment. The sudden markings inside orchards and paddy fields sent shockwaves through the farming community, prompting many to rush to the sites and demand an immediate halt to the process.
Ghulam Mohammad, a farmer from Kangan, said the poles appeared overnight without any consultation. “This land is our only source of survival. Seeing poles inside our orchards is traumatising for families who depend entirely on farming,” he said. Several orchard owners noted that this was the fourth survey in recent years, each time reviving deep anxiety among villagers.
A similar exercise last year had sparked massive protests, forcing authorities to pause the plan. However, the fresh round of land marking has reignited tensions. Altaf Ahmad, a political activist from Zadoora, questioned the need for the project, saying Pulwama and Shopian are already well-connected through road networks. “There is absolutely no justification for destroying highly productive orchards to lay a railway line,” he said.
Residents in Newa accused the administration of repeatedly targeting agricultural belts under different pretexts. “First they took our land for the engineering college, now they want our orchards for a railway project. Every time, the burden falls on farmers,” they said.
Villagers demanded that authorities identify barren land for any infrastructure initiative instead of carving through thriving orchards that sustain thousands of families.
Farmers warned they will strongly resist any move to convert their land into a railway corridor. “Our orchards are our economic lifeline. We will not allow these poles to turn into railway tracks,” they said, urging the administration to reconsider the alignment and engage with affected families before proceeding further.
