Kanyakumari will meet Vaishno Devi with a single road: PM Modi

The day is not far away when the Devi of Kanyakumari will meet Vaishno Devi with a single road, Prime Minister Narendra said on Sunday. Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Banihal-Qazigund Road Tunnel, built at a cost of over Rs 3100 crores. The 8.45 Km long tunnel will reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km, and reduce journey time by around one and a half hour.

PM Modi remarked at a massive gathering in Palli Gram Panchayat in Samba district, "When I talk about 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat,' I emphasise connection and bridging gaps. Our goal is to give J&K with all-weather connection."

Speaking about Kashmir's recent tourism boom, the Prime Minister stated that tourism is once again booming in the valley. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first official visit to Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 was repealed in 2019. "In the next 25 years, New Jammu and Kashmir will create a new chapter of growth," he remarked.

"Our focus is on connectedness," Modi added, "whether it's connectivity in terms of language, infrastructure, or amenities."

"It is a source of great pleasure that democracy has reached grassroots in Jammu and Kashmir," he remarked of the country's devolution of power to the grassroots level made possible by the empowerment of the Panchayati Raj.

"Palli is well on its way to becoming India's first carbon-neutral panchayat. I congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he added, adding that "today it appears that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are a part of such a gathering after decades."

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