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Palampur, February 6
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday flagged off a new fast express train between Baijnath and Pathankot on the Kangra valley narrow gauge rail line. It will reduce travel time between Pathankot and Jogindernagar by nearly two hours.
The Railway authorities have introduced new coaches with a seating capacity of 40x40 on the route.
Addressing a gathering at Paprola railway station, the Chief Minister said in the first phase, the train would run between Pathankot and Baijnath daily. It would start from Pathankot at 9.20 am and reach Baijnath at 2.25 pm, covering a distance of 100 km in five hours. Earlier, the same distance was covered in more than seven hours.
On return journey, the train would leave Baijnath at 4.30 pm and reach Pathankot at 9.35 pm. The train would stop at Baijnath, Palampur, Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra, Jwalamukhi Road and Pathankot railway stations for two minutes. Thakur said the launch of the high speed train would help boost tourism in the region. Fifteen of the 26 stations between Pathankot and Jogindernagar had been provided free Wi-Fi facilities, he added.
Meanwhile, residents have expressed resentment that two important stations on the Nurpur Road (Jassur) and Jawali have been overlooked for stoppages.
Representatives of gram panchayats have urged Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to take up the issue with the Railway authorities keeping in view larger public interest.
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