4 new trains proposed for city

Aarti Kapur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29

Ambala Division has proposed four new trains from Chandigarh to various destinations in the coming Union Budget. It has submitted the proposal to the higher authorities, demanding a train from Chandigarh to Hisar, the train from Nagal Dam to Patna via Chandigarh, a train from Sarangpur to Ludhiana via Chandigarh and another one from Chandigarh to Ludhiana.

Ambala Division has also proposed that the third Shatabdi, which at present does not ply on Sunday, should be allowed to operate on that day for the convenience of passengers. Rather, it should not be run on Wednesday from Chandigarh to New Delhi.

Ambala Divisional Railway Manager Dinesh Kumar said the proposal for the new trains was sent to the Railway Ministry for consideration in the Budget. He said the demand for the Hisar train was raised by the Member of Parliament from Hisar and it was considered by the division.

He said in the Budget, they had also demanded funds for two railway underbridges, to be constructed near the HUDA residential area in Panchkula and between Chandigarh and Chandimandir.

Besides, the city MP, Kirron Kher, had also submitted a proposal raising the demands of residents of Chandigarh. In a letter to Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Kher has demanded extension of the Sadhbhawna Express (which runs between Chandigarh and Lucknow) to Pratapgarh or start a new train from Chandigarh to Pratapgarh. She has also demanded a stoppage for the Paschim Express at Shri Mahavir ji station.

In the letter, she said there were a large number of people in the region from Uttar Pradesh. At present, there was a direct superfast train — the Sadbhawna Express — from Chandigarh to Lucknow. Passengers hailing from places such as Rae Bareli, Amethi and Partapgarh had to change their train at Lucknow, which caused a lot inconvenience to them. The train was usually crowded and there was a need for another train on the same route, she said.

She also mentioned in her letter that Shri Mahavir ji was a famous pilgrimage site of the Jain Samaj. A large number of Jain devotees from Chandigarh and the neighbouring states visited the pligrimage site by the Paschim Express. They faced a difficulty because the train did not stop at Shri Mahavir ji station. Therefore, a two-minute halt should be permitted for the Paschim Express at Shri Mahavir ji station.