GM Nr Rly visits Ferozepur on Rail Humsafar Week celebrations
GM Nr Rly visits Ferozepur on Rail Humsafar Week celebrations
FZR-ASR rail link in limbo due to non-providing of acquired land for the track by Pb.Govt., GM Nr Rly confirms
Ferozepur, May 30, 2016 : Today, AK Puthia, General Manager, Northern Railway inspected various stations of Ferozepur Division during the week-long “Rail Humsafar Week” celebrations with regard to the services being rendered to commuters.
Addressing the media persons at press conference at the Ferozepur Divisional Rail Office, Puthia said, the Rail Humsafar week was started to highlight achievements of Railway during the last two years.
Each day of the week was marked with specific themes including Swacchta Diwas, Satkaar Diwas, Sewa Diwas, Satkarta Diwas, Saamanjasya Diwas, Sanyojan Diwas and Sancharr Diwas.
On May 31, Sanyojna Diwas will focus on the freight business segment while the Sanchaar Diwas on June 1 will be a valedictory day of the Rail Humsafar Week.
When asked about the Ferozepur-Bahtinda Shatabdi Express – extending of Bahtinda – Delhi Shatabi Express from Ferozepur – GM Puthia said, Both Ferozepur and Bahtinda MPs have put their demands before the Railway Board but as of now, there is notification to start this train.
Regarding Ferozepur-Amritsar rail track, the Punjab Government is yet to provide the acquired land for this track and because of this reason, no further action has so far been initiated.
Added here, this Ferozepur-Patti rail link of 25.47 KMs project has been in limbo despite the fact it was given a green signal in 2013 rail budget by the then Union Government, as the Punjab Govt. failed to release the matching grant of Rs.150 crore, besides facilitating land required for the project.
The Ferozepur-Patti rail link, very vital from the commercial point of view, would decrease the distance between the northern states, including Punjab, capitals of Gujarat and Maharashtra, besides reducing distance between Ferozepur and Amritsar from 118 km to mere 86 km. It would also inter-connect the Malwa and the Majha regions of Punjab. Moreover, it will also shorten the distance between Jammu and Mumbai by 267 km.
The above rail link would inter-connect Srinagar, Anantnag, Udhampur, Jammu, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Patti, Ferozepur, Guruharsahai, Jalalabad, Fazilka and Abohar to Mumbai via Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan) which would ultimately promote the overall development of the entire backward border belt of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.
“Following the rail connectivity, the speeding of traffic will get momentum on this route, hence perishable fruits and vegetables will be delivered in Gujarat and Mumbai within 48 to 72 hours. The export of basmati rice and other items from this region via Kandla port in Gujarat may further get eased out,” Sameer Mittal, a prominent businessman of region.
Even from the defence point of view, the above rail link was extremely vital to join the two strategically located border districts of Ferozepur and Amritsar, besides connecting them to Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat, experts pointed out.
