Six years after the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) — separated by the Line of Control (LoC) — present starkly divergent trajectories: one defined by infrastructure expansion and record tourist footfall, the other by street protests, shutdowns, and reported fatalities.

Infrastructure Reshaping Indian Kashmir

The pace of physical transformation on the Indian side of the LoC has accelerated visibly. The Zojila Tunnel, stretching 13.153 kilometres and built at an estimated cost of ₹6,809.69 crore, is set to provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh through one of the Himalayas' most demanding corridors — replacing a pass that remains shut for months each winter.

Complementing it are two landmark railway achievements: the Chenab Rail Bridge, recognised as the world's highest railway arch bridge, and the Anji Khad Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge. Indian Railways this year extended the Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat service to Jammu Tawi and expanded the train from 8 to 20 coaches. Detailed project reports have also been prepared for doubling the 118-km Qazigund–Srinagar–Budgam section and for a new 40-km Baramulla–Uri railway line.

According to the Union Tourism Ministry, the region recorded more than 2.3 crore tourist arrivals in 2024 alone, including over 20 million domestic visits to the Jammu region. Official records confirm this as a historic high for the Union Territory.

Turmoil Across the LoC

The picture on the Pakistani-administered side is considerably grimmer. PoJK has been gripped by recurring protests, public-police clashes, and shutdowns, primarily centred on demands for political representation. The unrest intensified around the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and a controversy over 12 Assembly seats reserved for refugees living outside the territory.

According to reports from a global news agency, more than two dozen deaths have been recorded in connection with the unrest so far. Observers note that political mobilisation — rather than infrastructure investment — continues to dominate public life in PoJK.

A Deepening Contrast

The divergence has drawn analytical attention. News portal Asian Lite observed: 'On the Indian side, infrastructure is creating a new economic geography while on the other side, political mobilisation continues to dominate public life.' It added that the Zojila Tunnel alone would fundamentally alter the region's economic connectivity once operational.

The same analysis noted: 'The mountains have not changed. The LoC has not moved. But the development story around it is changing. And perhaps the most important feature of the present moment is that Kashmir is increasingly being judged not only by the politics of its past, but also by infrastructure, connectivity, economic activity and opportunities being built for its future.'

What the Anniversary Signals

The sixth anniversary of Article 370's abrogation has become an occasion to take stock of this divergence. On the Indian side, the region is being integrated into national highway networks, equipped with modern institutions, and — according to the government — strengthening democratic processes. On the other side of the LoC, the territory continues to witness periodic unrest and, critics argue, state apathy toward civic demands.

As connectivity projects move toward completion and tourism numbers climb, the development gap between the two sides of the LoC is likely to widen further in the coming years.