Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today inagurated a train service between Banihal in Jammu region and Qazigund in Kashmir.

The prestigious rail link, which includes the longest rail tunnel in India, has been constructed at a cost of 1,800 crore rupees.

This train service will provide an all-weather link to the Kashmir valley, which often gets cut off in the winter season due to heavy snowfall.

Addressing a function after inagurating the train service Dr. Manmohan Singh called for completing the full rail link between Udhampur and Baramullah in the stipulated time.

He said the UPA government has taken a series of measures for better infrastructure connectivity in the state. Addressing the function UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described the rail link as a new begining which will increase trade and tourism in the state.

She expressed hope that the UPA government at the centre will provide more funds for rural connectivity. Mrs. Gandhi said the rail link is a part of the centre's bid to connect far flung areas of the state to ensure their speedy development.

Our correspondent reports that the Prime Minister and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi reviewed last evening the implementation of the 37,000 crore rupees Prime Minister Reconstruction Programme in the state.

The Prime Minister yesterday laid the foundation stone of the 850 MW Rattle Hydro Electric Power project in Kishtwar.

Dr. Singh and Mrs. Gandhi reached Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, on a 2-day visit to the state.