Kilaraipur villagers seek train halts, overbridge from Railway Minister

Ravneet Singh Bittu, Minister of State for Railways, has assured a delegation representing around ten villages surrounding Kilaraipur that their demand for the construction of a Railway Overbridge (ROB) and stoppage of about a dozen trains at Kilaraipur Railway Station would be considered.

The delegation, led by former chairman of the Kilaraipu Market Committee, Ranjit Singh Mangat, urged the minister to improve facilities at the station, including the construction of the ROB near the railway premises. They also demanded that long-distance trains be permitted to halt at the station, pointing out the inconvenience local residents face when travelling for extended journeys.

Appreciating the minister’s response, Mangat said, “The minister had assured to get our demands accepted and implemented soon.”

“Having heard us sympathetically, the minister asked officials at his office to ensure that railway officials submit the report about the viability of amendments demanded by the delegation,” added Mangat, while stressing the urgency of the ROB construction.

The delegation alleged that the absence of stoppages for long-distance trains at Kilaraipur Railway Station had led to persistent hardship for the residents of about a dozen nearby villages.

“Residents of our villages suffer a double whammy as they have to travel extra distance to Ludhiana to catch long-distance trains for continuing further journeys,” said Mangat.

He further alleged that passengers boarding long-distance night trains often have no choice but to stay overnight on the platforms at Ludhiana or Malerkotla, or hire taxis to return home late at night.