Amritsar-Nangal Dam Express resumes ahead of Hola Mohalla

The Amritsar-Nangal Dam Express resumed operations on Wednesday after a gap of nearly two and a half months, bringing cheer to devotees planning to travel to Sri Anandpur Sahib for the upcoming Hola Mohalla festival.

The train service, which was earlier scheduled to be restored on March 1, was advanced by a few days and restarted on February 25 by Ferozepur division, keeping in view the religious congregation.

On Wednesday, the train departed from Amritsar at its scheduled time of 2 pm for Sri Anandpur Sahib. Around 200 passengers boarded the train on the first day. Railway officials said the number is expected to double in the coming days as the festival approaches.

The train had remained suspended from December to February due to dense fog, which disrupted rail traffic across the region during the winter months.

Passengers expressed satisfaction over the early resumption of the service. Gurpreet Singh, who arrived at the railway station to board the train, said he had initially planned to travel to Sri Anandpur Sahib by bus. “When I came to know that the Nangal Dam Express had resumed service, I immediately decided to travel by train and reached the station with my luggage at the scheduled time,” he said, terming the Railways’ decision commendable.

Railway authorities further informed that, apart from the Amritsar-Nangal Dam Express, eight other trains are expected to resume operations in the first week of March for various destinations, which is likely to ease travel for pilgrims and regular commuters.