Syed Hammad Bukhari
“This land is our soul. If they take it, they take our lives too,”says Abdul Aziz Lone, a 90-year-old resident of Dirhama, a village in Bijbehara located 19 kilometers north of Anantnag.
Known for its fertile agricultural fields, Dirhama has become a flashpoint of protests against a railway project that threatens to displace families and swallow their farmland. Residents say they were neither consulted nor informed properly about the project’s impact.
According to the Ministry of railways, a rail project of 77.5 Kilometres will be started from Anantnag to Pahalgam. The project runs through several areas of the district’s Bijbebara belt including the village of Dirhama.
Last year, during the winter session of Parliament, the Minister for Railways, Ashwani Vaishnav, providing a detailed report on the extension of the Indian Railways network to Jammu and Kashmir said the new railways were being introduced in the region.
“The terrain passes through the young Himalayas, which are full of geological surprises and numerous problems. This section predominantly involves tunnelling i.e., 97.42 km out of 111 km (i.e., 87%) of the length of the Katra-Banihal section is in tunnels, and the maximum length of tunnel T-49 is 12.77 km, which will be the longest transportation railway tunnel in the country. The Railway has made the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Reasi District of Jammu & Kashmir. The iconic Chenab Bridge is 1,315 m long, having an arch span of 467 m and a height of 359 m above the river bed. Indian Railways’ first cable-stayed bridge has been constructed over Anji Khad. Its bridge deck is 331 m above the riverbed level, and the height of its main pylon is 193 m.”
The Minister further stated that a new track of 135 km would be laid on the Banihal-Baramulla line. Additional lines, including Baramulla-Uri (50 km), Sopore-Kupwara (33.7 km), Awantipora-Shopian (27.6 km), and Anantnag-Bijbehara-Pahalgam (77.5 km), would also be laid in the coming years.
These projects, intended for the benefit of the people, have raised concerns, particularly in Dirhama, where the railway ministry has approved a track that would cut through vital agricultural land.
Many families rely entirely on this land for their income and are now at risk of displacement.
Villagers argue that alternative routes are available from Anantnag to Pahalgam but are being overlooked, even though the existing roads connecting Bijbehara to Pahalgam make this project seem unnecessary.
A spectre is haunting Kashmir – the spectre of rapid conversion of agricultural fields into commercial and residential hubs. Concrete jungles are coming up at places which erstwhile used to be agricultural fields and represented an array of trees, crops, fruits and flowers.
This is not just aesthetic damage, a mere loss of beauty or the conversion of the phenomenon of soothing beauty into scaring ugliness. But this issue concerns our economy, our food security, our survival and sustenance and the very future of our state. The statistical reports are both shocking and alarming given the fact that the trend of regression suggested by this data raises severe issues on our food security, declining economy and vanishing self-sufficiency.
According to reports, in 2012, Kashmir boasted approximately 1,62,309 hectares of land dedicated to paddy cultivation. Fast forward to 2023, and this area has shrunk dramatically by 33,309 hectares (6.5 lakh kanal), leaving a mere 1,29,000 hectares currently allocated for paddy cultivation.
In absence of any checks and regulatory authorities in place, the trend is expected to endanger the entire cultivation land in the region and the short-term economic gains are sure to make people oblivious of the long term dangers accompanying the trend.
According to Indian Council of Agricultural Research, about 3.3% of total geographical area of the state is under cultivation, of which 60% is rainfed with frequent moisture stress.
The present foodgrain production is 1.5 million tonnes and the predominant farming systems in Kashmir are horticulture based.
The important fruits are apple, walnut, apricot, etc. The major cropping systems in the valley are rice-mustard and rice-oat (fodder). There is preference for short duration cold tolerant crop cultivars in the valley.
Apple is a major fruit crop cultivated in 1.08 lakh ha with a production of 1.1 million tonnes, providing livelihood to around 2.7 million people.
The low productivity of apple is attributed to low density planting, old and senile orchards and incidence of diseases and pests. With the following technological interventions, the productivity can be raised from 10 tonnes/ha to 35 tonnes/ha.
Most of Kashmir is mountainous while only 3.3% land is for agricultural purpose in present time which has been shrinking in different projects.
It not only reduces the agricultural lands but also the employment generation in villages and the collective ownership of farmers and agricultural workers who have no option of income generation except these lands.
These lands not only serve as a source of income generation but also serve as a financial security for the farmers and their upcoming generations. It is a matter of serious concern that those people whose occupation is so important for basic needs of all other people are being facing such situation.
A recent case comes from a agricultural region of a village namely Dirhama, located at Bijbehara in district Anantnag.
The Dirhama story
The proposed railway projects in Kashmir, while intended to benefit the public, have sparked outrage in Dirhama, a village near Bijbehara.
Known for its fertile agricultural land, Dirhama is home to generations of farming families who now face displacement as their lands are earmarked for a railway track connecting Anantnag, Bijbehara, and Pahalgam. Villagers argue that the project not only threatens their livelihood but also undermines Kashmir’s fragile agricultural base.
On Saturday, officials from Northern Railways visited the area and carried out the demarcation of the land.
A local resident, Shabir Ahmad, said, “For the last year, the land has been surveyed, and we have made constant appeals to higher-ups regarding the potential dangers of the project that threatens food stability in the region. However, nobody paid attention to us.”
Abdul Aziz Lone, a 90-year-old resident, voiced his frustration, “This project is unacceptable to us. Our whole income depends on these agricultural lands through ages. Officials have been surveying for a year, but they didn’t consult us at all. Recently, we told them this project is unacceptable, but they gave no response.”
This sentiment resonates across Dirhama, where families are alarmed by the lack of transparency and public consultation.
Firdous Lone, a postgraduate in zoology who also depends on agriculture for his livelihood, expressed similar concerns. “No one wants this project to be executed on these lands. The nearest railway station to Pahalgam is just 30 to 35 kilometers away from Bijbehara. There are two roads connecting Bijbehara to Pahalgam, and many people depend on these for employment. This project will not only lead to the loss of agricultural lands but also affect employment for those relying on these routes.”
He questioned the broader utility of the project, asking, “If it is not beneficial for us, then who is it for?”
Another resident, Shabir Malik, stated, “I have 20 kanals here, and all 20 fall under this project. In Kashmir, agricultural and horticultural lands are already very limited. If we lose our lands, our future generations will lose their sole source of income and economic security.”
A woman from the village added, “Ask them not to turn this place into Afghanistan. If they want to, they should bomb us and kill us all instead of taking our lands.”
The village chairman pointed out that alternative routes for the railway track exist. “The government has lands near the Lidder area. They should build the project there, but instead, they’re making it here, causing loss to the local population for little compensation.”
Another villager highlighted the economic impact, saying, “The value of money goes down due to inflation, but the value of land always goes up and remains intact. It provides economic security for us and our future generations. No compensation can make up for the loss we are going to face.”
A local leader, Gulzar Ahmad, expressed, “The government should take into consideration the welfare of the people. But we don’t understand whose project is being constructed for, if locals have been opposing it.”
Dr. Bashir Ahmed Veeri, the National Conference leader and legislator from the area met with the locals and assured them of full cooperation.
This situation reflects a broader concern over the developmental projects conducted by the Central Government, which are increasingly seen as a curse rather than a benefit.
With unemployment already at alarming levels, projects like these are expected to worsen the situation.
Villagers argue that the government should reroute the project, even if it incurs higher costs, as the welfare of the local population should take precedence over cost-cutting measures.
“The land is not just soil; it is our history, our heritage, and our identity. Taking it away is like erasing us from existence,” a villager told The Kashmiriyat