Disrupted last year, train services in Kangra yet to be restored

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, May 20

Train services in Kangra that were suspended last year when a bridge on the Chakki bank collapsed during the monsoon has emerged as an important issue in the district.

Bridge on Chakki river washed away

• Anand Sharma, Congress candidate from the Kangra parliamentary constituency, talked about upgrading the Kangra-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway line to broad gauge.
• BJP president Rajeev Bindal said when the Congress was in power at the Centre, it did nothing to improve rail services in Kangra.
• After the bridge on the Chakki river washed away last year, the entire narrow gauge train service between Pathankot and Jogindernagar was suspended.
• The 90-year-old railway bridge was weakened due to illegal mining on the riverbed.

People are highlighting the problem at social media platforms to attract the attention of the candidates.

Congress candidate from the Kangra parliamentary constituency Anand Sharma recently talked about upgrading the Kangra-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway line to broad gauge. During an election rally after filing his nomination papers, Anand said if voted to power, he would press for a Vande Bharat train to Kangra. He accused the previous BJP representatives of the area of ignoring railway services in Kangra.

During an election rally earlier, BJP state president Rajeev Bindal said when the Congress was in power at the Centre, it did nothing for improve railway services in Kangra. Anand, who had been a Union Minister, too, did not take any steps in this regard. “Why didn’t he work for starting a Shatabdi or a Vande Bharat train to Kangra when he was a minister?” asked Bindal.

With the bridge being washed away, the entire narrow gauge train service between Pathankot and Jogindernagar has been lying suspended. Seven trains were running between Pathankot and Jogindernagar daily on the narrow-gauge railway line constructed and commissioned by the British in 1928.

The rail line is the lifeline of hundreds of villages located in the Pong Dam wildlife sanctuary, where there are no roads or bus service. The people of these villages use train to reach the district headquarters of Kangra.

The 90-year-old railway bridge was weakened following illegal mining in the riverbed. The railway authorities had repeatedly complained regarding the damage being caused to the bridge due to illegal mining.

The residents of the Jawali area and the people living in the Pong Dam catchment area of Kangra are facing a lot of inconvenience due to the disruption of rail services. In many areas of Jawali, people have been staging protests over the issue, but to no avail.

Rohit Sharma, a resident of Jawali, said many villages in the Pong Dam wildlife sanctuary had been cut off due to suspended train services. The people of the area used the service to travel across Kangra district.