Construction of new platforms affects train schedule in city

Neeraj Bagga

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 12

Due to the ongoing work for construction of two new platforms (number six and seven) at the city railway station, the railway has effected temporary short termination and short origination of trains.

The trains which will be short terminated in Jalandhar till September 29 are Saharsa-Amritsar Jansewa Express (15209) and Darbhanga-Amritsar Jannayak Express (15211).

The trains which will be short originated till September 30 are Amritsar-Darbhanga Jannayak Express (15212) and Amritsar- Saharsa Jansewa Express (15210). Meanwhile, railway tracks have already been laid and work for raising additional platforms has been going on.

The local railway station is already grappling with shortage of platforms as the train traffic has increased over the years.

There are six platforms (1, 1-A, 2, 3, 4, 5) here. Many passengers, especially commuters, rue that majority of the trains are stopped outside the city, awaiting clearance, at the railway station.

Earlier, the expected cost of the project was Rs 5 crore, out of which over Rs 31.75 lakh was invested at the site in 2009. However, the project was abandoned after non-approval of the SIP. Now, the cost has escalated.

Six trains diverted

As many as six trains were diverted from the Amritsar railway station after protesting farmers blocked the railway traffic in Mukerian. The affected trains were Malwa Express (12920), Jammu Tawi – Ahmedbad Express (19224), Swaraj Express (12472).

Guwahati-Jammu Tawi Lohit Express (15651), Malwa Express between Indore and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (12919) and Jamnagar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (12477) were also diverted via Amritsar railway station.