Railway crossings tie up Pathankot city in knots, Dinesh Singh Babbu assures of solution
Ravi Dhaliwal
Pathankot, May 27
BJP candidate Dinesh Singh Babbu touched an emotional chord with hundreds of residents of Pathankot city, which forms a part of the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency, by assuring them at a gathering that he would accord priority to the problem of the city’s seven railway ‘Fataks’ (crossings) which simultaneously close down a dozen times a day, throwing the city’s normal life out of gear and putting the economy in a state of disarray.
The track caters to the Jogindernagar-Pathankot route, also called the
toy train.
This, old-timers say, is one of the most contentious issues of the constituency. The city’s once booming economy which revolved around the business of timber, tourism and transport has come to a standstill as the area remains divided into two parts for long periods when the toy train passes. The ‘Fataks’ remain closed for 6-8 hours daily.
Interestingly, candidates of other political parties do not have this “railway conundrum” on their agenda. “This proves how immune they have become to the people of the area,” said Babbu.
The ‘Fataks’ are an integral part of the 3.6 km stretch of narrow gauge rail line running through the city’s municipal limits. For the last three decades, the prices of real estate have been static because people feel that the town’s growth has been stymied just because of the railway crossings.
“Residents have to endure long traffic jams. Educational institutions, hotels, hospitals, markets and business entities are all affected when the ‘Fataks’ close. This is Pathankot’s problem No. 1,” said ex-Mayor Anil Vasudeva.
Babbu said he had discussed the issue with railway officials. “One of the solutions offered is to elevate the 3.6 km stretch of railway line like it has been done in Rohtak. Railway officers have informed me that constructing under-passes or over-passes is out of the question because over the years, people have encroached upon land near the crossings. In Rohtak, there was a similar problem and once the track was elevated, the city got a brand new look,” said Babbu.
Residents have got some respite as the Jogindernagar-Pathankot toy train has been temporarily discontinued because the Chakki railway bridge is undergoing repairs. “The bridge will soon become operational and if the track is not elevated soon, the residents may come out on to the streets,” said Babbu.
He added that he had taken up the issue with Union Minister Gen (retd) VK Singh.
