Himachal calling: Broad-gauge rail link can usher in economic development in Kangra

Services on the 100-km narrow-gauge track built by the British in 1928 disrupted for past two years

Lalit Mohan

Updated At : 07:49 AM Aug 26, 2024 IST

Residents of Kangra have been demanding that the Railways should maintain the Pathankot-Jogindernagar track on the lines of the Kalka-Shimla track. File photo

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 25

The lack of broad-gauge railway connectivity and a disrupted narrow-gauge line in Kangra, the biggest district of the state in terms of population, are big bottlenecks in the economic development in region.

The narrow-gauge railway line, stretching from the Pathankot area of Punjab to Jogindernagar in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, was built by the British. The over 100 km railway line that traverses through Kangra district was built in two years between 1926 and 1928. It was still the only link to hinterland of Kangra that was not connected with road.

However, the services have been disrupted for the past two years. Daily five trains used to ply on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar railway track. The railway bridge over the Chakki river in the Nurpur area of Kangra district was washed away in August 2022 due to a flashflood. While the Railways is yet to make the bridge functional, sources say it is likely to be repaired by March next. The Railways tried to run three trains between Nurpur and Baijnath, but the services remained disrupted due to the poor condition of the track.

Besides the damaged bridge, the heritage track was facing many other challenges. Due to the increased construction activity in many areas along the track, the railway line has become vulnerable to landslides. Recently, the track was damaged after a portion of the under-construction four-lane road was hit by a landslide near Ranital. That the heritage track is getting compromised is evident from the fact that for the last few years the railway authorities have been suspending the services during the monsoon for fear of the line getting damaged by landslides.

Residents of Kangra have been demanding that the Railways should manage the heritage track of the region they way it was maintaining the Kalka-Shimla line. They have been making petitions to local politicians and railway authorities pressing for the proper upkeep of the heritage railway stations along the track. Though the Railways was renovating the Palampur railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, the condition of other stations was going from bad to worse due to the lack of maintenance.

There has also been a demand from Kangra to connect the region with broad-gauge railway line. Former chief minister Shanta Kumar had proposed to connect Kangra with the broad-gauge track by extending the Nangal-Talwara railway line till the Jawalamukhi area of Kangra district. The proposal was yet to be considered by the Railways.

Kangra is home to nearly 25 per cent population of the state. Most youths from the region go to other states for jobs. There has hardly been any industrial growth in the district due to the lack of railway connectivity. Beside a few regions such as Dharamsala, Palampur and Baijnath, there was hardly any tourism activity in other area that can provide sustainable employment to youths. In case the area gets proper railway connectivity, it can usher in economic activity in the region providing employment to youths in their home district.

Proposal in limbo

Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar had proposed to connect Kangra with the broad-gauge track by extending the Nangal-Talwara railway line till the Jawalamukhi area of Kangra district. The proposal was yet to be considered by the Railways.