Train services on Pathankot-Jogindernagar line may resume after track inspection

The final decision on the restoration of train services on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow-gauge railway line will be taken after a comprehensive inspection of the track on February 24 and 25.

Regular train services on this historic route were suspended around three years ago following the collapse of a railway bridge over the Chakki rivulet near Pathankot. Since then, only partial services had been operating between Kangra and Jogindernagar. Before the rail services were suspended, seven pairs of trains were running on the route everyday, covering 24 railway stations.

A senior official of the Indian Railways said services on the route were halted over safety concerns and pending technical clearances. Though the work to reconstruct the Chakki bridge had been completed, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) would conduct a detailed inspection of the track and associated infrastructure before granting approval for the resumption of full operations.

The official said the necessary repair and strengthening works were being carried out on priority to ensure passenger safety. The inspection team would thoroughly examine bridges, track alignment, signal systems and other structural components along the route, he said. Services would be resumed only after the competent authority issues the final clearance, he said.

He said strict adherence to safety protocols was the top priority and no compromise would be made on passenger safety. The Pathankot-Jogindernagar railway line serves as a lifeline for several parts of Kangra district, linking remote hill areas to plains.