Residents fume over closure of cattle crossings on narrow gauge rail track

The ongoing work of installing pillars on around 37 cattle crossings on the Pathankot- Joginder Nagar narrow gauge railway line between the Pathankot and Nurpur road railway station has triggered a lot of resentment against the Northern Railway authorities. As per information, these cattle crossings were in existence ever since this narrow gauge railway line was laid during the British regime in 1932 linking all important and religious towns of Kangra and parts of Mandi district.

Residents of six-gram panchayats — Kandwal, Chhatroli, Geora, Bhaleta, Kathal, Haled and Jassur — had been using these crossings to take their cattle for grazing in nearby pastures. Apart from this, pedestrians also used these crossings. Now, after sudden closure crossings, their movement has been restricted by the Railways. Besides, commuters have been waiting for the restoration of train service from Pathankot railway station, which stopped after washing away of the Chakki railway bridge near Kandwal in August 2022. They are up in arms against the Northern Railways for the unprecedented delay in the commissioning of newly constructed the Chakki railway bridge.

Partial train service from the Nurpur road to the Baijnath railway station, which was suspended in July last year, is yet to be restored.

“In spite of restoring suspended train service, the Railways is closing cattle crossing on the narrow gauge railway line which can add to local residents’ problems,” they lamented. Baldev Pathania, Suram Singh, Lakhvinder, Mukesh, Manish and Sanjay, residents of Chhatroli panchayats, said the affected villagers met Lok Sabha MP Rajiv Bhardwaj at his residence in Jassur on Sunday and appealed to him to intervene in restoring cattle crossings. After hearing their grievances, the MP reportedly called the Divisional Railway Manager, Jammu division, and asked to do the needful in public interest.