After remaining suspended for nearly four years following the collapse of the interstate Chakki railway bridge at Kandwal in August 2022, the iconic Kangra Valley Rail Service is finally set to resume operations. Northern Railway has announced the restoration of limited train services on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow-gauge route, with the formal inauguration scheduled for Tuesday at 8.45 am.
According to a press release issued by Northern Railway, two pairs of trains will initially operate between Pathankot and Paprola. Train No. 52465 will leave Pathankot at 5 am and reach Paprola at noon, while Train No. 52467 will depart at 7 am and arrive at Paprola at 1.40 pm. In the return direction, Train No. 52470 will leave Paprola at 2.15 pm and reach Pathankot at 9.45 pm, whereas Train No. 52474 will depart at 3.40 pm and arrive at Pathankot at 10.50 pm.
Besides these services, Northern Railway will introduce three additional train pairs on shorter sections, including Paprola-Jogindernagar, Nurpur Road-Paprola and Jawalamukhi Road-Paprola, catering primarily to passengers within Kangra and parts of Mandi district.
The Kangra Valley Railway, often described as the lifeline of rural areas in Kangra district, came to a halt on August 22, 2022, when the Chakki bridge collapsed, disrupting all seven pairs of trains operating on the route and leaving thousands of daily commuters without rail connectivity.
While welcoming the resumption of services, the Kangra Valley Railway Sangharsh Samiti has expressed dissatisfaction over what it termed a “partial restoration”. The committee, which has spearheaded a sustained campaign for the revival of the railway line, argued that only two of the seven previously operational train pairs have been restored.
Over the past five months, the samiti organised demonstrations at Ranital, Koparlahar and Dharamsala and submitted memorandums to the Prime Minister and Railway Minister through the district administration. It also recently approached the Himachal Pradesh High Court, seeking intervention for the restoration of the full rail service.
Samiti convener Rajesh Nandpuri alleged that despite successful trial runs and technical inspections of the newly constructed Chakki bridge, railway authorities delayed the resumption of services. He warned that the onset of the monsoon season could once again affect operations due to landslides along the track and demanded the immediate restoration of all seven train pairs from Pathankot.
Track of hope, journey unfinished
