MP Dr. Rajeev Bhardwaj met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Delhi to discuss the restoration of the Kangra Valley Rail from Pathankot. The Railway Minister assured that the narrow-gauge train services will be fully restored shortly. This development comes after the successful reconstruction of Bridge No. 32, which had previously halted train movements on this scenic route for nearly four years.
Key updates on service restoration and infrastructure
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the track between Pathankot and Joginder Nagar is now fit for operations.
- The reconstruction of the bridge washed away in 2022 is complete and the track has passed safety checks.
- Northern Railway has already prepared a new timetable for the narrow-gauge route to facilitate smooth operations.
- Partial services between Baijnath Paprola and Kangra were already started in late 2025 as part of the phase-wise restoration.
- The full stretch from Pathankot is expected to see train movements after technical formalities are finished.
What is the status of the Broad Gauge conversion project?
The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned a field survey for a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to convert the Pathankot-Jogindernagar line to broad gauge. This massive infrastructure project aims to modernize the rail network in Himachal Pradesh and improve connectivity to various Shaktipeeths in the region. A specialized agency is handling the survey work, and the total project cost is estimated at approximately 30,000 crore rupees. Discussions also included the expansion of the rail network into Chamba to provide better transport facilities to local residents.