Navyug tunnel should be named after Manmohan Singh: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday proposed that the Navyug tunnel, connecting Kashmir to Jammu region, should be named after former prime minister Manmohan Singh to recognise his contributions to the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

"There are two tunnels on Srinagar-Jammu highway. One has been named after Shyama Prasad Mookerjee. The other tunnel (Navyug) should be named after Manmohan Singh," Abdullah told reporters here.

The chief minister said Singh, who died three days ago, had contributed tremendously for the development and welfare of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Perhaps, no other prime minister has done more for Jammu and Kashmir than Dr Manmohan Singh. If we are able to travel between Jammu and Srinagar within five years, it is because of him. Cross LoC travel started during A B Vajpayee's tenure but cross LoC trade started under Dr Singh's tenure.

"Students from Jammu and Kashmir are studying outside (under PM Scholarship Scheme) due to him, the job reservation for Kashmiri Pandits with the objective of facilitating their return was also started by Dr Singh," Abdullah said enlisting the Jammu and Kashmir specific measures taken during the Singh-headed UPA government's tenure.

Abdullah said besides holding roundtables to address issues of Jammu and Kashmir, former prime minister Singh also appointed interlocutors who held dialogue with the stakeholders here.

The chief minister said the former prime minister believed in working for the people without speaking about it.

"He would never speak... It does not matter who takes credit (for four laning of the highway), it was Dr Singh who prepared the ground for it," he added.