Subway sites on Jogindernagar railway line in Kangra inspected

The Deputy Chief Engineer of the Northern Railway, accompanied by officials of the Safety Department, conducted a joint feasibility inspection of four proposed sites for low-height subways along the Pathankot–Jogindernagar narrow-gauge track in Kangra district on Friday.

The inspection held at Barial, Nandpur, Khabbal and Ludret was carried out in the presence of the SDM, Jawali, and the teams of the state Public Works Department and the Revenue Department. The residents of these areas, located in Jawali and Dehra subdivisions, have long remained cut off in the absence of railway crossings, a problem that had emerged when the railway line was realigned following the construction of the Pong Dam in the early 1970s.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his wife Kamlesh Kumari, who represents the Dehra constituency, had repeatedly taken up this long-pending issue with the Railways, underscoring the severe mobility challenges faced by the affected communities for more than 50 years.

Assistant Railway Engineer Subhash, who accompanied the team, stated that the purpose of the inspection was to evaluate the technical feasibility of constructing underpasses at these locations. He added that all sites except Ludret were jointly inspected and the work would now proceed towards preparing a detailed project report (DPR). The proposed subways would be built using the RCC box technology, ensuring a safer and more seamless passage for residents on either side of the track.

The inspection was done on the directions of the Chief Administrative Officer, Construction-Road Safety Projects Unit, Northern Railway.