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Railways orders physical survey of Pathankot-Joginder Nagar rail line

The Ministry of Railways has initiated a physical survey of the 120-km-long Pathankot-Joginder Nagar narrow gauge rail line, a crucial step toward its conversion into a broad gauge track. This historic rail line, laid by the British, has long served...
It marks first step in upgrading 90-year-old rail track to broad gauge.
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The Ministry of Railways has initiated a physical survey of the 120-km-long Pathankot-Joginder Nagar narrow gauge rail line, a crucial step toward its conversion into a broad gauge track. This historic rail line, laid by the British, has long served as a lifeline for over 40 lakh residents in the lower hills of Himachal Pradesh.

Rajiv Bhardwaj, Member of Parliament from Kangra-Chamba, shared this development with the media, revealing that he had recently discussed the matter with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The minister agreed to conduct the survey, marking the first step in upgrading this 90-year-old rail track.

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Bhardwaj emphasised the importance of this project, noting that while China has significantly expanded its rail network in Tibet, India has lagged in extending its railway infrastructure in strategic regions. He urged the government to link the Pathankot-Joginder Nagar line with the Bilaspur-Leh rail project at Mandi and to declare it a “national project” similar to railways in Kashmir and the Northeast.

The Kangra Valley rail line is currently in a deteriorated state. The Chakki bridge on this track, washed away three years ago, has yet to be reconstructed. Most of the infrastructure is outdated, and poor maintenance has worsened the track’s condition. During the last monsoon season, train services were suspended for several months due to damaged bridges and retaining walls. This disruption caused significant hardship for the region’s residents, as the railway struggled with insufficient funds for repairs and upgrades.

The Pathankot-Joginder Nagar rail line originally linked key towns in Kangra and parts of Mandi district. However, the collapse of the Chakki bridge has disrupted train services, leaving the line underutilised. Bhardwaj criticised the Indian Railways for failing to modernise this track over the past 90 years, noting that several plans to convert the narrow gauge line to broad gauge remained unimplemented.

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The expansion of this rail line has strategic significance for national defence. In 2003, during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister, plans were made to connect Pathankot to Leh via Manali, providing a safe and strategic route to Leh beyond Pakistan’s firing range. The idea gained urgency after the Kargil War of 1999. However, the alignment was later altered under the Modi government, with a new Detailed Project Report linking Leh to Bhanupali-Bilaspur instead.

Bhardwaj reiterated the urgent need for the Pathankot-Joginder Nagar rail line’s upgrade, stressing its importance for regional development and national security.

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