HP 18 000 villagers in Nurpur await action as decade-old railway crossing closure issue reaches MP’s desk

Shimla, Jun 10 (PTI) A railway crossing on the Pathankot–Jogindernagar narrow gauge line in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district has remained shut since December 2013, affecting more than 18,000 residents across several villages in Nurpur subdivision.
    The crossing was first shut for vehicular movement in October 2011, briefly reopened in March 2012 following local protests, and then permanently shut in December 2013.
    Since then, villagers under the banner of the Jasoor-Gayora-Chatroli Vikas Manch have been demanding the construction of a Limited Height Subway (LHS) or a gateless crossing to restore road connectivity.
    Baldev Pathania, president of the Manch, said residents of Chatroli, Thangar, Gayora, Kamnala, Kathal, Jasoor, Bhaleta, Jatoli and Nanglahad are forced to travel an additional six to eight kilometres. The closure has disrupted essential services like LPG delivery, children's schooling and access to healthcare, he said.
    The Manch recently submitted a memorandum to MP Rajeev Bhardwaj, who hails from nearby Jassur, following which, a railway technical team inspected the site last month.
    The issue was also raised by Deepak Bhardwaj, a resident of Nurpur and member of the Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC), during its 127th meeting in Delhi on May 16. He stressed the urgent need for an LHS at Chatroli.
    With both the MP and ZRUCC member Deepak pursuing the matter, villagers remain hopeful. Locals like Ashwini, Rajkumar and Raman said the renewed efforts have revived hopes of a resolution.
    MP Rajeev Bhardwaj said he has taken up the matter with the Ministry of Railways and plans to meet the Union Railway Minister soon. He expressed optimism that a solution will be reached.
    Residents including Ashwini, Rajkumar and Raman expressed hope that with the intervention of their elected representatives, the long-pending demand would finally be addressed.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)