Rlys conducts trial run on narrow gauge line

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, April 26

Nine months after the narrow gauge railway track was damaged due to landslides triggered by torrential rains, the Ferozepur Division of the Northern Railways undertook a trial run of a train engine from Nurpur Road to Koparlahar stations in Kangra district.

The train services on the rail line from Nurpur Road to Baijnath had been suspended since July 8 last year after over 200-metre track was left hanging due to landslides.

The railway authorities had restored train services partially between Paprola (Baijnath) and Kangra railway stations on December 27.

Two trains (up and down) were running on the railway track, but there was a lot of resentment among commuters and residents of lower Kangra areas.

They have been protesting for the past few months for early restoration of the train services.

With the train services suspended for nine months, the commuters are spending seven times more on fare by travelling in buses.

As per information, the repair work was completed last week. The railways will undertake another trial along with train compartments and will restore two up and down trains from Nurpur to Baijnath within next couple of days.

A spokesperson of the railway traffic told The Tribune that today’s trial run was successful and the technical wing of the Railways would conduct another trial run in next couple of days before restoring the services.