Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha ji, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Omar Abdullah ji, my Cabinet colleagues Shri Nitin Gadkari ji, Shri Jitendra Singh ji, Ajay Tamta ji, Deputy CM Surender Kumar Choudhary ji, Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma ji, all MPs, MLAs and my dear brothers and sisters of Jammu and Kashmir.

First of all, I would like to thank the workers who worked in the most difficult conditions, even putting their lives at risk, for the progress of the country and Jammu and Kashmir. Seven of our worker friends lost their lives, but this did not deter us from our resolve, my worker friends did not waver. No worker returned home, these my worker brothers have completed this work by overcoming all challenges.  And today, first of all, I give tribute to our seven workers whom we have lost. 

Friends,

This weather, snow, these beautiful snow-capped mountains, all these make the heart very happy. Two days ago, our Chief Minister shared some pictures of this place on social media. After these pictures, my eagerness to come here among you increases even more. And as the Chief Minister has just said that I have been associated with all of you for a long time, and when I come here, I start remembering the days of years ago, and when I used to work as a worker of Bhartiya Janata Party organisation, I used to come here frequently. I have spent a lot of time in this area, whether it is Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Ganderbal, Baramulla, everywhere we used to travel for hours, many kilometers on foot. And the snowfall used to be very heavy even then, but the warmth of the people of Jammu Kashmir is such that we did not feel the cold. 

Friends, 

Today is a very special day. There is a festive atmosphere in every corner of the country today. The Maha Kumbh is starting from today in Prayagraj, crores of people are going there for the holy bath. Today, the entire North India including Punjab is filled with the enthusiasm of Lohri, this is the time of many festivals like Uttarayan, Makar Sankranti, Pongal. I wish well to all the people celebrating these festivals in the country and the world. This time of the year is Chillai Kalan here in the valley. You face this 40-days weather bravely. And there is another side to it, this weather also brings new opportunities for tourist destinations like Sonamarg. Tourists from all over the country are arriving here. They are enjoying your hospitality to the fullest, by coming here in the valleys of Kashmir.

Friends ,

Today I have come among you as your servant with a big gift. A few days ago, as the Chief Minister said, 15 days ago, I had the opportunity to lay the foundation stone of your own railway division in Jammu. This was your very old demand. Today I have got the opportunity to hand over the Sonamarg tunnel to the country, to you. This means that another very old demand of Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh has been fulfilled today. And you can be sure that this is Modi, if he makes a promise, he keeps it. There is a time for every work and the right work will be done at the right time.

Friends, 

And when I was talking about the Sonamarg tunnel, it will ease the lives of the people of Kargil and Leh, our people in Leh, along with Sonamarg. Now the problem of roads getting blocked due to avalanches during snowfall or due to landslides during rains will be reduced. When the roads get closed, it becomes difficult to go to the big hospital from here. Due to this, there were difficulties in getting essential goods here, now with the construction of the Sonamarg tunnel, these problems will be reduced a lot.

Friends,

The actual construction of the Sonamarg tunnel began in 2015 only after our government was formed at the Centre, and the Chief Minister also described that period in very good words. I am happy that the work of this tunnel has been completed during our government. And I always have a mantra, whatever we start, we will also inaugurate it. It happens, it works, when it will happen, who knows, that era is gone.

Friends ,

This tunnel will also ensure connectivity of Sonamarg in this winter season, this will also give new wings to tourism in this entire area including Sonamarg. In the coming days, many projects of road and rail connectivity are going to be completed in Jammu and Kashmir. Work is also going on another big connectivity project here nearby. Now Kashmir Valley is also going to be connected by rail. I am seeing that there is an atmosphere of great happiness here regarding this. These New roads that are being constructed, the trains that have started coming to Kashmir, colleges are being built, this is new Jammu and Kashmir. I congratulate all of you from the bottom of my heart for this tunnel and also for this new phase of development.

Friends, 

Today, India is moving towards new heights of progress. Every citizen of the country is engaged in making India a developed nation by 2047. This can only happen when no part of our country, no family is left behind in progress and development. For this, our government is working day and night with full dedication with the spirit of Sabka Sath-Sabka Vikas. In the last 10 years, more than 4 crore poor people of the entire country including Jammu and Kashmir have got concrete houses. In the coming time, three crore more new houses are going to be given to the poor. Today, crores of people are getting free treatment in India. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have also benefited greatly from this. New IITs, new IIMs, new AIIMS, new medical colleges, nursing colleges, polytechnical colleges are being built continuously across the country for the education of the youth. In Jammu and Kashmir too, many educational institutions have been built in the last 10 years. This has benefited greatly my sons and daughters, our youth here.

Friends ,

Today, from Jammu Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, you are seeing how many great roads, tunnels, bridges are being constructed. Our Jammu Kashmir is now becoming a hub of tunnels, high bridges, ropeways. The world's highest tunnels are being built here. The world's highest rail-road bridges, cable bridges, are being constructed here. The world's highest rail lines are being built here. The engineering of our Chenab Bridge has amazed people across the world. Just last week, the trial of a passenger train was completed on this bridge. The cable bridge that increases Kashmir's railway connectivity, the projects of Zojila, Chenani Nashri and Sonamarg tunnels, the rail link project of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla, Shankaracharya temple, Shiv khori and Baltal-Amarnath shrine ropeway scheme, the expressway from Katra to Delhi, today work is going on projects worth more than 42 thousand crore rupees related to road connectivity in Jammu Kashmir. Work is progressing rapidly on four national highway projects, two ring roads. Work is going on here on more than 14 tunnels like Sonamarg. All these projects are going to make Jammu and Kashmir one of the most connected states of the country.

Friends, 

In the journey of developed India, our tourism sector has made a huge contribution. Due to better connectivity, tourists will be able to reach those areas of Jammu and Kashmir which are still untouched. We are already seeing the benefits of the atmosphere of peace and progress that has been created in Jammu and Kashmir in the last ten years in the tourism sector. More than 2 crore tourists have come to Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2024. Here in Sonamarg too, the number of tourists has increased 6 times in 10 years. You people have benefited from this, the public, hoteliers, homestay owners, dhaba owners, clothes shop owners, taxi drivers, everyone has benefited from this.

Friends,  

Jammu and Kashmir of the 21st century is writing a new story of development. Leaving behind the earlier difficult days, our Kashmir is now regaining its identity as a paradise on earth. Today people go to Lal Chowk at night to eat ice cream, there is a lot of activity there even at night. And my artist friends from Kashmir have turned the Polo View Market into a new habitat center. I see on social media how the musicians, artists, singers here keep performing there. Today in Srinagar, people go to cinema halls with their children to watch movies, shop comfortably. No government can do so many things alone that change the situation. A huge credit for changing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir goes to the people here, to all of you. You have strengthened democracy, you have strengthened the future.

Friends, 

I can clearly see a bright future for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. Just look at the opportunities being created in sports. A few months ago, an international marathon was held for the first time in Srinagar. Whoever saw those pictures was filled with joy and I remember, the Chief Minister also participated in that marathon, its video also went viral, and I also specially congratulated the Chief Minister when I met him in Delhi. During the meeting, I could see his enthusiasm and excitement and he was telling me about the marathon in great detail.

Friends, 

Indeed, this is a new era of the new Jammu and Kashmir. Recently, after forty years, an international cricket league has been held in Kashmir. Before that, we have also seen those beautiful scenes of car racing around Dal Lake. Our Gulmarg is becoming the winter games capital for India in a way. Four Khelo India Winter Games have been held in Gulmarg. The fifth Khelo India Winter Games are also going to start next month. In the last two years, twenty-five hundred players from all over the country have come to Jammu and Kashmir for various sports tournaments. More than ninety Khelo India centers have been built in Jammu and Kashmir. Four and a half thousand youth from our place are taking training. 

Friends,

Today, new opportunities are being created for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir everywhere. The work of AIIMS is progressing rapidly in Jammu and Awantipora. This means that now there will be less compulsion to go to other parts of the country for treatment. Studies are being conducted in the excellent campuses of IIT-IIM and Central University in Jammu. Our Vishwakarma friends are taking forward the workmanship and craftsmanship in Jammu and Kashmir, they are getting help from PM Vishwakarma and other schemes of the Jammu and Kashmir government. We are constantly trying to bring new industries here. People from different industries are going to invest about 13 thousand crore rupees here. This will provide employment to thousands of youths here. Jammu and Kashmir Bank has also started working much better now. In the last 4 years, the business of Jammu and Kashmir Bank has increased from 1 lakh 60 thousand crores to 2 lakh 30 thousand crores. This means that the business of this bank is growing, the capacity to give loans is also increasing. Everyone here, the youth, farmers-gardeners, shopkeepers-businessmen, are benefiting from this.

Friends, 

The past of Jammu and Kashmir has now changed into the present of development. The dream of a developed India will be fulfilled only when its peak is studded with pearls of progress. Kashmir is the crown of the country, the crown of India. That is why I want this crown to be more beautiful, this crown to be more prosperous. And I am happy to see that in this work I am getting the constant support of the youth, the elders, the sons and daughters here. You are working very hard to turn your dreams into reality, for the progress of Jammu and Kashmir, for the progress of India. I assure you again, Modi will walk with you step by step. He will remove every obstacle that comes in the way of your dreams.

Friends, 

Once again, I extend my best wishes to every family of Jammu and Kashmir for today's development projects. Our colleagues Nitin ji, Manoj Sinha ji and the Chief Minister have described in detail the speed of progress, the speed of development, and the new projects that are going to be launched. And so, I do not repeat it. I only tell you that now this distance has been eliminated, now we have to cherish dreams together, take resolutions and achieve success. My best wishes to all of you.

Thank you very much. 

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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MJPS/VJ/SS