Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday written to the Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu seeking permission for the utilisation and development of existing local Dalhousie Road Railway Station for arrival and backward departure of trains.
Capt Amarinder, in his letter, urged him to accede to his request in order to tackle the congestion at Pathankot, and also to minimize pollution that was adversely affecting the health of local residents.
Pointing out that railway over bridge (ROBs) and railways under bridge (RUBs) were not feasible on this line due to narrow land availability, he sought the Minister’s personal intervention to allow the state to use Dalhousie railway station in the large public interest, especially of the residents of Pathankot.
Notably, the narrow gauge railway track from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar was inaugurated in 1929, and takes off from the main railway station at Pathankot. With the passage of time, the city has expanded on either side of the track and become densely populated, leading to heavy congestion along the railway track.