Ground report: Problem of railway ‘fataks’ needs solution

The city can be got rid of its traffic woes if the problem of the seven narrow gauge railway ‘fataks’ is resolved. One big reason why this town registers a negative growth rate every year is that these crossings close simultaneously several times a day.

The economy is strained because the city remains divided into two parts. This also leads to massive traffic jams. Ambulances and fire-extinguishers remain stranded when the railway crossings are closed. The train has been given the sobriquet of ‘toy train.’

It passes through a 3.6 km long stretch within the municipal limits of the city. There have been many solutions but none fits the bill. The latest one was to elevate the portion of track that runs within the MC limits, like the railways had done some years ago in Rohtak. An elevated track had replaced four level-crossings in Rohtak.

This idea was studied and discussed elaborately by rail experts. However, it was given a quiet burial as several technical issues surfaced. Officials say there are several differences between the Pathankot track and the one that operates in Rohtak.

Hence, both cannot be compared with each other. Several MPs have taken up the issue with the Railway Ministry in Delhi but none has been successful. There was a proposal to build under-passes but encroachments meant this resolution too had to be binned. Railway officials say neither over-bridges nor underpasses can be built following numerous illegal structures constructed along the track. Residents say till this problem is solved, not much development can take place.

Real estate developers say if a solution is found, the prices of land in the city can increase substantially. There was also a view to terminate the train at the Dalhousie Road station, 4 km away from the city, on the Joginder Nagar side. This solution, however, was brushed under the carpet by the railways which claimed it would lose revenue. “Now, travellers get off at the main station and embark on their onward journey by catching a connecting train. If people alight at the Dalhousie Road station, they would not be able to make use of connecting trains following which there will be a heavy loss of revenue,” said an official. The track was built during the British era and has now lost its utility. A solution has to be found. After all, when a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you do not throw away the ticket and jump off.

What real estate developers say

Real estate developers say if a solution is found, the prices of land in the city can increase substantially. There was also a view to terminate the train at the Dalhousie Road station, 4 km away from the city, on the Joginder Nagar side. This solution, however, was brushed under the carpet by the railways which claimed it would lose revenue. “Now, travellers get off at the main station and embark on their onward journey by catching a connecting train. If people alight at the Dalhousie Road station, they would not be able to make use of connecting trains following which there will be a heavy loss of revenue,” said an official. The track was built during the British era and has now lost its utility. A solution has to be found. After all, when a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you do not throw away the ticket and jump off.

The economy is strained because the city remains divided into two parts. This also leads to massive traffic jams. Ambulances and fire-extinguishers remain stranded when the railway crossings are closed. The train has been given the sobriquet of ‘toy train.’