Finally, Railways to elevate 3.5-km track in Pathankot

Tribune News Service
Pathankot, February 23

The Railway Ministry has accorded permission to elevate the 3.5-km stretch of narrow gauge track running in the city.

Seven railway crossings are located on this stretch and whenever the Pathankot-Jogindernagar toy train passes all of them close down simultaneously, dividing the city for long periods of time. Traffic snarls have become a common occurrence and vehicular movement comes to a standstill for hours together.

An announcement to this effect was made by BJP leader Kavita Khanna at a press conference today. The track will be elevated at a cost of Rs 226.77 crore.

“The cost of the project will be borne jointly by the Central and state governments,” said Kavita. Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar said, “It is not a victory for any one political party. It is actually a victory for the residents.”

She claimed that she met Railways Minister Piyush Goyal several times in the recent past. She added that her late husband Vinod Khanna too had taken up the matter with the officials concerned. “This time the Railways has provided funds and the work will start soon,” Kavita said. Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar, too, claimed that he had taken up the issue with Goyal.