M A I N   N E W S

Army pitches in for repairing Ambala-Amritsar
rail line
Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

Ambala, August 9
The Army is playing a major role by assisting the Railways in repairing the Ambala-Amritsar main rail line.

Work is going on at a frenzied pace to meet the August 14 deadline for making the Ambala-Amritsar main line operational. Army engineers are maintaining a tight schedule with regard to filling of the breaches on the rail line.

Brig A. Parnaik, Chief Engineer, Kharga Corps, who visited the work site today, said the engineers had already completed the assigned task at site No.3. “We had begun work on August 6 evening and the first task was completed by August 8,” he said. He stated that the work was being carried out by 65 Engineers Regiment.

Commanding Officer of 65 Engineers Regiment, Col M. Mehrotra, said they were given task of the filling the breach at km No. 275 between Ambala City and Shambhu. “We were assigned the task on August 6 and within 48 hours we did job,” he said.

Colonel Mehrotra said the breach which was plugged was 50 m long, 5 m deep and 15 m wide. “We used three bulldozers. We are currently working on a breach which is 55 m long, 6 m deep and 15 m wide,” he said, and added that the second breach was likely to be filled up tonight.

The Colonel said they used eight pumping sets to take out the accumulated water. “At the work site, there is one officer, 3 JCOs and 36 other ranks. The team is being led by Major Shyam Bahadur,” he said.

He further said reaching the site proved to be a challenge. “The ground was slushy and the bulldozers were heavy. We had to cut out our own track,” he said.

Additional Divisional Railway Manager Dayal Dogra, who is a Major in Territorial Army, said they had requested the PH & HP (I) Sub Area Commander Brigadier Malhi for assistance from Army Engineers in filling the breaches in the Ambala-Amritsar main line.

“We are in touch with Brigadier Parnaik. While the Army will fill the breaches the straightening and repair of the rail track will be carried out by us,” he said. “We have received full cooperation from the Army and they are doing a good job,” he added.

The site where Army Engineers are working is not easily accessible.

Shatabdi leaves for Delhi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9
The Ambala-Chandigarh-Kalka railway link, which was snapped following heavy downpour on August 3, was restored this evening.

According to sources, the Shatabadi left for Delhi this evening and the Kalka-Howrah Express was scheduled to leave at 1 a.m. All trains, except the Paschim Express, running between Mumbai and Kalka, and Kalka-Jodhpur Express will be restored from tomorrow.