Railway fencing on Dhuri line caught up in politics

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 3

After political interference, the railway staff was forced to stop digging a trench between the road and the railway tracks (Dhuri Railway line) here today. The Railways has planned to install fencing alongside the tracks to prevent mishaps.

The railway officials have claimed that fencing is required to stop illegal crossing of tracks and misuse of railway land for unauthorised parking and sabzi mandi.

As digging work started in the morning, a number of local residents, supported by politicians, reached there to oppose railway action. Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief and MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains also reached the spot, and allegedly opposed digging work. Later, Congress leader Kamaljeet Singh Karwal visited area and asked the officials not to dig the trench.

An official said the Railways had got encroachments along the tracks removed sometime ago. The railway officials, along with the government railway police (GRP), had gone to the site for the installation of fencing, but some leaders forced them to stop digging work, he said.

Senior Section Engineer of Railway Anil Meena said: “People used to cross the tracks in an illegal manner while others had encroached on land along the tracks for setting up a subzi mandi and a parking. To prevent mishaps, we have to install fencing there.”

He said MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains and Congress leader Kamaljeet Singh Karwal opposed digging work today. “The trench was being dug close to the road as wires had been laid along the tracks. If we had dug a trench close to the tracks, any damage to the underground wires could have led to disruption in rail services. We will conduct meetings with the leaders tomorrow and let them

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